Sample records for semi-active suspension performance

The rail-wheel interaction in a rail vehicle running at high speed results in large amplitude vibration of carbody that deteriorates the ride comfort of travellers. The role of suspension system is crucial to provide an acceptable level of ride performance. In this context, an existing rail vehicle is modelled in vertical, pitch and roll motions of carbody and bogies. Additionally, nonlinear stiffness and damping parameters of passive suspension system are defined based on experimental data. In the secondary vertical suspension system, a magneto-rheological (MR) damper is included to improve the ride quality and comfort. The parameters of MR damper depend on the current, amplitude and frequency of excitations. At different running speeds, three semi-activesuspension strategies with MR damper are analysed for periodic track irregularity and the resulting performance indices are juxtaposed with the nonlinear passive suspension system. The disturbance rejection and force tracking damper controller algorithms are applied to control the desired force of MR damper. This study reveals that the vertical vibrations of a vehicle can be reduced significantly by using the proposed semi-activesuspension strategies. Moreover, it naturally results in improved ride quality and passenger’s comfort in comparison to the existing passive system.

Comprehensive performance of the vehicle, including ride qualities and road-holding, is essentially of great value in practice. Many up-to-date semi-active control algorithms improve vehicle dynamics performance effectively. However, it is hard to improve comprehensive performance for the conflict between ride qualities and road-holding around the second-order resonance. Hence, a new control algorithm is proposed to achieve a good trade-off between ride qualities and road-holding. In this paper, the properties of the invariant points are analysed, which gives an insight into the performance conflicting around the second-order resonance. Based on it, a new control algorithm is proposed. The algorithm employs a novel frequency selector to balance suspension ride and handling performance by adopting a medium damping around the second-order resonance. The results of this study show that the proposed control algorithm could improve the performance of ride qualities and suspension working space up to 18.3% and 8.2%, respectively, with little loss of road-holding compared to the passive suspension. Consequently, the comprehensive performance can be improved by 6.6%. Hence, the proposed algorithm is of great potential to be implemented in practice.

Full Text Available Inerters have become a hot topic in recent years especially in vehicle, train, building suspension systems, etc. Eight different layouts of suspensions were analyzed with a quarter-car model in this paper. Dimensionless root mean square (RMS responses of the sprung mass vertical acceleration, the suspension travel, and the tire deflection are derived which were used to evaluate the performance of the quarter-car model. The behaviour of semi-activesuspensions with inerters using Groundhook, Skyhook, and Hybrid control has been evaluated and compared to the performance of passive suspensions with inerters. Sensitivity analysis was applied to the development of a high performancesemi-activesuspension with an inerter. Numerical simulations indicate that a semi-activesuspension with an inerter has much better performance than the passive suspension with an inerter, especially with the Hybrid control method, which has the best compromise between comfort and road holding quality.

Vehicle manufacturers always strive to improve the vehicle handling and passenger safety and comfort. One of the focus points for the automotive industry is the (semi-)activesuspension system for which various commercial technologies are existing, varying from pneumatic to hydraulic. This paper

The aim of this work is to present a comparison of the main semiactivesuspension systems used in a passenger car, after having optimized the suspension systems of the vehicle model in respect with ride comfort and road holding. Thus, a half car model, equipped with controllable dampers, along with a seat and a driver was implemented. Semi-activesuspensions have received a lot of attention since they seem to provide the best compromise between cost (energy consumption, actuators/sensors hardware) and performance in comparison with active and passive suspensions. In this work, the semiactivesuspension systems studied are comfort oriented and consist of (a) the two version of Skyhook control (two states skyhook and skyhook linear approximation damper), (b) the acceleration driven damper (ADD), (c) the power driven damper (PDD), (d) the combination of Skyhook and ADD (Mixed Skyhook-ADD) and (e) the combination of the two with the use of a sensor. The half car model equipped with the above suspension systems was excited by a road bump, and was optimized using genetic algorithms (GA) in respect with ride comfort and road holding. This study aims to highlight how the optimization of the vehicle model could lead to the best compromise between ride comfort and road holding, overcoming their well-known trade-off. The optimum results were compared with important performance metrics regarding the vehicle’s dynamic behaviour in general.

This thesis presents a control algorithm for semi-activesuspensions to reduce the braking distance of passenger cars. Active shock absorbers are controlled and used to influence the vertical dynamics during ABS-controlled full braking. The core of the approach presented in this paper is based on a switching control logic. The control algorithm is implemented in a compact class passenger car. Test drives on a real road, using a braking machine for reproducibility reasons, have been executed. It could be shown that it is possible to reduce the braking distance by affecting on the vertical dynamics of a passenger car in general. This is the first experimental result of this kind published ever. The amount of reduction depends on the height profile of the testing track chosen and on the initial velocity. On a road with an unevenness comparable to the one on a typical German Autobahn an average reduction of 1-2%, compared to the best passive damping, was achieved. (orig.)

The new Kuala Lumpur Monorail Fleet Expansion Project (KLMFEP) uses semiactive technology in its suspension system. It is recognized that the suspension system influences the ride quality. Thus, among the way to further improve the ride quality is by fine- tuning the semi-activesuspension system on the new KL Monorail. The semi-activesuspension for the monorail specifically in terms of improving ride quality could be exploited further. Hence a simulation model which will act as a platform to test the design of a complete suspension system particularly to investigate the ride comfort performance is required. MSC Adams software was considered as the tool to develop the simulation platform, where all parameters and data are represented by mathematical equations; whereas the new KL Monorail being the reference model. In the simulation, the model went through step disturbance on the guideway for stability and ride comfort analysis. The model has shown positive results where the monorail is in stable condition as an outcome from stability analysis. The model also scores a Rating 1 classification in ISO 2631 Ride Comfort performance which is very comfortable as an overall outcome from ride comfort analysis. The model is also adjustable, flexibile and understandable by the engineers within the field for the purpose of further development.

A new kind of semi-active energy-regenerative suspension system is proposed to recover suspension vibration energy, as well as to reduce the suspension cost and demands for the motor-rated capacity. The system consists of an energy-regenerative damper and a DC-DC converter-based energy-regenerative circuit. The energy-regenerative damper is composed of an electromagnetic linear motor and an adjustable shock absorber with three regulating levels. The linear motor just works as the generator to harvest the suspension vibration energy. The circuit can be used to improve the system’s energy-regenerative performance and to continuously regulate the motor’s electromagnetic damping force. Therefore, although the motor works as a generator and damps the isolation without an external power source, the motor damping force is controllable. The damping characteristics of the system are studied based on a two degrees of freedom vehicle vibration model. By further analyzing the circuit operation characteristics under different working modes, the double-loop controller is designed to track the desired damping force. The external-loop is a fuzzy controller that offers the desired equivalent damping. The inner-loop controller, on one hand, is used to generate the pulse number and the frequency to control the angle and the rotational speed of the step motor; on the other hand, the inner-loop is used to offer the duty cycle of the energy-regenerative circuit. Simulations and experiments are conducted to validate such a new suspension system. The results show that the semi-active energy-regenerative suspension can improve vehicle ride comfort with the controllable damping characteristics of the linear motor. Meanwhile, it also ensures energy regeneration. (paper)

In past years, the application of magnetorheological (MR) and electrorheological dampers in vehicle suspension has been widely studied, mainly for the purpose of vibration control. This paper presents theoretical study to identify an appropriate semi-active control method for MR-tracked vehicle suspension. Three representative control algorithms are simulated including the skyhook, hybrid and fuzzy-hybrid controllers. A seven degrees-of-freedom tracked vehicle suspension model incorporating MR dampers has been adopted for comparison between the performance of the three controllers. The model differential equations are derived based on Newton's second law of motion and the proposed control methods are developed. The performance of each control method under bump and sinusoidal road profiles for different vehicle speeds is simulated and compared with the performance of the conventional suspension system in time and frequency domains. The results show that the performance of tracked vehicle suspension with MR dampers is substantially improved. Moreover, the fuzzy-hybrid controller offers an excellent integrated performance in reducing the body accelerations as well as wheel bounce responses compared with the classical skyhook and hybrid controllers.

The high-speed train has achieved great progress in the last decades. It is one of the most important modes of transportation between cities. With the rapid development of the high-speed train, its safety issue is paid much more attention than ever before. To improve the stability of the vehicle with high speed, extra dampers (i.e. anti-hunting damper) are used in the traditional bogies with passive suspension system. However, the curving performance of the vehicle is undermined due to the extra lateral force generated by the dampers. The active suspension systems proposed in the last decades attempt to solve the vehicle steering issue. However, the active suspension systems need extra actuators driven by electrical power or hydraulic power. There are some implementation and even safety issues which are not easy to be overcome. In this paper, an innovative semi-active controlled lateral suspension system for railway vehicles is proposed. Four magnetorheological fluid dampers are fixed to the primary suspension system of each bogie. They are controlled by online controllers for enhancing the running stability on the straight track line on the one hand and further improving the curving performance by controlling the damper force on the other hand. Two control strategies are proposed in the light of the pure rolling concept. The effectiveness of the proposed strategies is demonstrated by SIMPACK and Matlab co-simulation for a full railway vehicle with two conventional bogies.

Full Text Available In order to coordinate the damping performance and energy regenerative performance of energy regenerative suspension, this paper proposes a structure of a vehicle semi-active energy regenerative suspension with an electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA. In light of the proposed concept, a specific energy regenerative scheme is designed and a mechanical properties test is carried out. Based on the test results, the parameter identification for the system model is conducted using a recursive least squares algorithm. On the basis of the system principle, the nonlinear model of the semi-active energy regenerative suspension with an EHA is built. Meanwhile, linear-quadratic-Gaussian control strategy of the system is designed. Then, the influence of the main parameters of the EHA on the damping performance and energy regenerative performance of the suspension is analyzed. Finally, the main parameters of the EHA are optimized via the genetic algorithm. The test results show that when a sinusoidal is input at the frequency of 2 Hz and the amplitude of 30 mm, the spring mass acceleration root meam square value of the optimized EHA semi-active energy regenerative suspension is reduced by 22.23% and the energy regenerative power RMS value is increased by 40.51%, which means that while meeting the requirements of vehicle ride comfort and driving safety, the energy regenerative performance is improved significantly.

This paper proposes an improved virtual reference model for semi-activesuspension to coordinate the vehicle ride comfort and handling stability. The reference model combines the virtues of sky-hook with ground-hook control logic, and the hybrid coefficient is tuned according to the longitudinal and lateral acceleration so as to improve the vehicle stability especially in high-speed condition. Suspension state observer based on unscented Kalman filter is designed. A sliding mode controller (SMC) is developed to track the states of the reference model. The stability of the SMC strategy is proven by means of Lyapunov function taking into account the nonlinear damper characteristics and sprung mass variation of the vehicle. Finally, the performance of the controller is demonstrated under three typical working conditions: the random road excitation, speed bump road and sharp acceleration and braking. The simulation results indicated that, compared with the traditional passive suspension, the proposed control algorithm can offer a better coordination between vehicle ride comfort and handling stability. This approach provides a viable alternative to costlier active suspension control systems for commercial vehicles.

In this paper, semi-active H∞ control with magnetorheological (MR) dampers for railway vehicle suspension systems to improve the lateral ride quality is investigated. The proposed semi-active controller is composed of a H∞ controller as the system controller and an adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) inverse MR damper model as the damper controller. First, a 17-degree-of-freedom model for a full-scale railway vehicle is developed and the random track irregularities are modelled. Then a modified Bouc-Wen model is built to characterise the forward dynamic characteristics of the MR damper and an inverse MR damper model is built with the ANFIS technique. Furthermore, a H∞ controller composed of a yaw motion controller and a rolling pendulum motion (lateral motion+roll motion) controller is established. By integrating the H∞ controller with the ANFIS inverse model, a semi-active H∞ controller for the railway vehicle is finally proposed. Simulation results indicate that the proposed semi-activesuspension system possesses better attenuation ability for the vibrations of the car body than the passive suspension system.

Full Text Available Semi-active air suspension is increasingly used on heavy-duty vehicles due to its capabilities of consuming less power and low cost and providing better ride quality. In this study, a new low cost but effective approach, fuzzy-wheelbase preview controller with wavelet denoising filter (FPW, is developed for semi-active air suspension system. A semi-activesuspension system with a rolling lobe air spring is firstly modeled and a novel front axle vertical acceleration-based road prediction model is constructed. By adopting a sensor on the front axle, the road prediction model can predict more reliable road information for the rear wheel. After filtering useless signal noise, the proposed FPW can generate a noise-insensitive control damping force. Simulation results show that the ride quality, the road holding, the handling capability, the road friendliness, and the comprehensive performance of the semi-active air suspension with FPW outperform those with the traditional active suspension with PID-wheelbase preview controller (APP. It can also be seen that, with the addition of the wavelet filter, the impact of sensor noise on the suspensionperformance can be minimized.

Full Text Available Dynamic simulation, based on modelling, has a significant role during to the process of vehicle development. It is especially important in the first design stages, when relevant parameters are to be defined. Shock absorber, as an executive part of a semi-activesuspension system, is exposed to thermal loads which can lead to its damage and degradation of characteristics. Therefore, this paper attempts to analyze a conversion of mechanical work into heat energy by use of a method of dynamic simulation. The issue of heat dissipation from the shock absorber has not been taken into consideration.

This study presents a new intelligent control method, human-simulated intelligent control (HSIC) based on the sensory motor intelligent schema (SMIS), for a magneto-rheological (MR) suspension system considering the time delay uncertainty of MR dampers. After formulating the full car dynamic model featuring four MR dampers, the HSIC based on eight SMIS is derived. A neural network model is proposed to compensate for the uncertain time delay of the MR dampers. The HSIC based on SMIS is then experimentally realized for the manufactured full vehicle MR suspension system on the basis of the dSPACE platform. Its performance is evaluated and compared under various road conditions and presented in both time and frequency domains. The results show that significant gains are made in the improvement of vehicle performance. Results include a reduction of over 35% in the acceleration peak-to-peak value of a sprung mass over a bumpy road and a reduction of over 24% in the root-mean-square (RMS) sprung mass acceleration over a random road as compared to passive suspension with typical original equipment (OE) shock absorbers. In addition, the semi-active full vehicle system via HSIC based on SMIS provides better isolation than that via the original HSIC, which can avoid the effect of the time delay uncertainty of the MR dampers

This paper presents a study on continuously variable stiffness control of vehicle seat suspension using a magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) isolator. A concept design for an MRE isolator is proposed in the paper and its behavior is experimentally evaluated. An integrated seat suspension model, which includes a quarter-car suspension and a seat suspension with a driver body model, is used to design a sub-optimal H ∞ controller for an active isolator. The desired control force generated by this active isolator is then emulated by the MRE isolator through its continuously variable stiffness property when the actuating condition is met. The vibration control effect of the MRE isolator is evaluated in terms of driver body acceleration responses under both bump and random road conditions. The results show that the proposed control strategy achieves better vibration reduction performance than conventional on–off control

The performance of a vehicle axle/wheel suspension system is primarily determined by the comfort of the occupants, the required working space, the handling properties and, for commercial vehicles in particular, the dynamic tire forces and the load on the chassis components and on the cargo. General

Full Text Available Dynamic simulation, based on modeling, has a significant role during the process of vehicle development. It is especially important in the first stages of vehicle design, when relevant vehicle parameters are to be defined. Shock absorbers as executive parts of vehicle semi-activesuspension systems suffer thermal loads, which may result in damage and degradation of ther characteristics. Therefore,this paper shows an attempt to analyze converting of mechanical work into heat by using the dynamic simulation method. Introduction Shock absorbers are integral elements of semi-activesuspension systems for vehicles (hereinafter SASS. They directly affect the active vehicle safety. The role of shock absorbers is to absorb mechanical vibrations transferred from the road and to ensure the safety of passengers in a vehicle. The kinetic energy of vehicle vibrations transforms into mechanical work or heat in shock absorbers. In practice, in the first stage of vehicle development, the shock absorber parameters are chosen from the condition of damping vibrations of vehicles, but their thermal shock loads should be also taken into account. Motor vehicles have complex dynamic characteristics manifested by spatial movement, parameters change during operation, a number of disturbing influences, backlash, friction, hysteresis, etc. The above-mentioned dynamic phenomena, especially vibration, lead to fatigue of driver and users, reduce the life of the vehicle and its systems, etc. The main objective of the system is to reduce the reliance of the above-mentioned negative effects, improving the vehicle behavior on the road and allow the exploitation of vehicles in a wide range of service conditions. Classical systems cannot satisfiy these conditions, so there was a need to introduce new suspension systems with controlled characteristics (briefly called "semi-active", or "active" systems. Oscillatory model of vehicle The differential equations of vibratory motion of

Full Text Available This paper presents a new fuzzy sliding mode controller (FSMC to improve control performances in the presence of uncertainties related to model errors and external disturbance (UAD. As a first step, an adaptive control law is designed using Lyapunov stability analysis. The control law can update control parameters of the FSMC with a disturbance estimator (DE in which the closed-loop stability and finite-time convergence of tracking error are guaranteed. A solution for estimating the compensative quantity of the impact of UAD on a control system and a set of solutions are then presented in order to avoid the singular cases of the fuzzy-based function approximation, increase convergence ability, and reduce the calculating cost. Subsequently, the effectiveness of the proposed controller is verified through the investigation of vibration control performances of a semi-active vehicle suspension system featuring a magnetorheological damper (MRD. It is shown that the proposed controller can provide better control ability of vibration control with lower consumed power compared with two existing fuzzy sliding mode controllers.

... compressible fluid suspension system that was designed and installed on the vehicle by DTI. The purpose of the tests was to evaluate the possible performance benefits of the compressible fluid suspension system...

Full Text Available Comfort, road holding and safety of passenger cars are mainly influenced by an appropriate design of suspension systems. Improvements of the dynamic behaviour can be achieved by implementing semi-active or active suspension systems. In these cases, the correct design of a well-performingsuspension control strategy is of fundamental importance to obtain satisfying results. Operational Modal Analysis allows the experimental structural identification in those that are the real operating conditions: Moving from output-only data, leading to modal models linearised around the more interesting working points and, in the case of controlled systems, providing the needed information for the optimal design and verification of the controller performance. All these characters are needed for the experimental assessment of vehicle suspension systems. In the paper two suspension architectures are considered equipping the same car type. The former is a semi-active commercial system, the latter a novel prototypic active system. For the assessment of suspensionperformance, two different kinds of tests have been considered, proving ground tests on different road profiles and laboratory four poster rig tests. By OMA-processing the signals acquired in the different testing conditions and by comparing the results, it is shown how this tool can be effectively utilised to verify the operation and the performance of those systems, by only carrying out a simple, cost-effective road test.

The performance of velocity & displacement-dependent damper (VDD), inspired by the semi-active control, is analyzed. The main differences among passive, displacement-dependent and semi-active dampers are compared on their damping properties. Valve assemblies of VDD are modelled to get an insight into its working principle. The mechanical structure composed by four valve assemblies helps to enable VDD to approach the performance by those semi-active control dampers. The valve structure parameters are determined by the suggested two-step process. Hydraulic model of the damper is built with AMEsim. Simulation result of F-V curves, which is similar to those of semi-active control damper, demonstrates that VDD could achieve the similar performance of semi-active control damper. The performance of a quarter vehicle model employing VDD is analyzed and compared with semi-activesuspension. Simulation results show that VDD could perform as good as a semi-active control damper. In addition, no add-on hardware or energy consumption is needed for VDD to achieve the remarkable performance.

Full Text Available Suspension plasma spraying has become an emerging technology for the production of thermal barrier coatings for the gas turbine industry. Presently, though commercial systems for coating production are available, coatings remain in the development stage. Suitable suspension parameters for coating production remain an outstanding question and the influence of suspension properties on the final coatings is not well known. For this study, a number of suspensions were produced with varied solid loadings, powder size distributions and solvents. Suspensions were sprayed onto superalloy substrates coated with high velocity air fuel (HVAF -sprayed bond coats. Plasma spray parameters were selected to generate columnar structures based on previous experiments and were maintained at constant to discover the influence of the suspension behavior on coating microstructures. Testing of the produced thermal barrier coating (TBC systems has included thermal cyclic fatigue testing and thermal conductivity analysis. Pore size distribution has been characterized by mercury infiltration porosimetry. Results show a strong influence of suspension viscosity and surface tension on the microstructure of the produced coatings.

Full Text Available High speed railway vehicles features a specific lateral oscillation resulting from the coupled lateral displacement and yaw of the wheelset which leads to a sinusoid movement of the wheelset along the track, transferred to the entire vehicle. The amplitude of this oscillation is strongly dependant on vehicle’s velocity. Over a certain value, namely the critical speed, the instability phenomenon so-called hunting occurs. To raise the vehicle’s critical speed different designs of the suspension all leading to a much stiffer vehicle can be envisaged. Different simulations prove that a stiffer central suspension will decrease the passenger’s comfort in terms of lateral accelerations of the carboy. The authors propose a semi-active magneto rheological suspension to improve the vehicle’s comfort at high speeds. The suspension has as executive elements hybrid magneto rheological dampers operating under sequential control strategy type balance logic. Using an original mathematical model for the lateral dynamics of the vehicle the responses of the system with passive and semi-activesuspensions are simulated. It is shown that the semi-activesuspension can improve the vehicle performances.

SatCon Technology Corporation is working toward the development of an advanced-concept Control Moment Gyro (CMG). The advanced-concept CMG is sized for use as a slewing actuator for large space-based payloads. The design features a magnetically suspended composite rotor which contains a persistent-mode superconducting solenoid magnet. The rotor is suspended and gimballed by the interaction of the fields produced by the superconductor and an array of cryoresistive coils. The rotor spins in a liquid helium environment, while the control coils are liquid-hydrogen cooled. This design is capable of meeting the requirements of many high-performance slewing applications (27,000 Nm). The use of the magnetic suspension as rotor bearings, gimbal bearings, and gimbal torquers also substantially reduces the mass of the CMG system

In this paper, an energy regenerative seat suspension with a variable external resistance is proposed and built, and a semi-active controller for its vibration control is also designed and validated. The energy regenerative seat suspension is built with a three-phase generator and a gear reducer, which are installed in the scissors structure centre of the seat suspension, and the vibration energy is directly harvested from the rotary movement of suspension's scissors structure. The electromagnetic torque of the semi-active seat suspension actuator is controlled by an external variable resistor. An integrated model including the seat suspension's kinematics and the generator is built and proven to match the test result very well. A simplified experimental phenomenon model is also built based on the test results for the controller design. A state feedback H∞ controller is proposed for the regenerative seat suspension's semi-active vibration control. The proposed regenerative seat suspension and its controller are validated with both simulations and experiments. A well-tuned passive seat suspension is applied to evaluate the regenerative seat's performance. Based on ISO 2631-1, the frequency-weighted root mean square (FW-RMS) acceleration of the proposed seat suspension has a 22.84% reduction when compared with the passive one, which indicates the improvement of ride comfort. At the same time, the generated RMS power is 1.21 W. The proposed regenerative seat suspension can greatly improve the driver's ride comfort and has the potential to be developed to a self-powered semi-active system.

An active suspension with preview is developed for the rear axle of a commercial vehicle. The obtained improvements are promising and justify further investigation of the more feasible semi-activesuspensions with preview. The inherent non-linearity of semi-activesuspensions with switching shock

The field of automotive suspensions is changing. Semi-active and active suspensions are starting to become viable options for vehicle designers. Suspension design for commercial vehicles is especially interesting given its potential. An active cabin suspension for a heavy-duty truck is considered,

Structural control for civil structures was born out of a need to provide safer and more efficient designs with the reality of limited resources. The purpose of structural control is to absorb and to reflect the energy introduced by dynamic loads such as winds, waves, earthquakes, and traffic. Today, the protection of civil structures from severe dynamic loading is typically achieved by allowing the structures to be damaged. Semi-active control devices, also called "smart" control devices, assume the positive aspects of both the passive and active control devices. A semi-active control strategy is similar to the active control strategy. Only here, the control actuator does not directly apply force to the structure, but instead it is used to control the properties of a passive energy device, a controllable passive damper. Semi-active control strategies can be used in many of the same civil applications as passive and active control. One method of operating smart cable dampers is in a purely passive capacity, supplying the dampers with constant optimal voltage. The advantages to this strategy are the relative simplicity of implementing the control strategy as compared to a smart or active control strategy and that the dampers are more easily optimally tuned in- place, eliminating the need to have passive dampers with unique optimal damping coefficients. This research investigated semi-active control of civil structures for natural hazard mitigation. The research has two components, the seismic protection of buildings and the mitigation of wind-induced vibration in structures. An ideal semi-active motion equation of a composite beam that consists of a cantilever beam bonded with a PZT patch using Hamilton's principle and Galerkin's method was treated. A series R-L and a parallel R-L shunt circuits are coupled into the motion equation respectively by means of the constitutive relation of piezoelectric material and Kirchhoff's law to control the beam vibration. A

This paper is concerned with the comfort-oriented vehicle suspension design problem by using a skyhook inerter configuration. The rationale of the skyhook inerter is to use a grounded inerter to virtually increase the sprung mass of a vehicle, as it is analytically demonstrated that increasing the sprung mass can always improve the ride comfort performance. Semi-active means to realize the skyhook inerter configuration are investigated by using semi-active inerters. Three control laws, that is the on-off control, the anti-chatter on-off control, and the continuous control, are proposed for the semi-active inerter to approximate the skyhook inerter. Numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and performances of these control laws. It is shown that the semi-active realizations of the skyhook inerter by using the proposed control laws can achieve over 10% improvement compared with the traditional strut, and similar performances are obtained for these control laws, with slight differences with respect to different static stiffnesses of the suspension system.

Full Text Available This paper focuses on improving the performance of the rigid support cantilevered momentum wheel assemblies (CMWA by soft suspension support. A CMWA, supported by two angular contact ball bearings, was modeled as a Jeffcott rotor. The support stiffness, before and after in series with a linear soft suspension support, were simplified as two Duffing's type springs respectively. The result shows that the rigid support CMWA produces large disturbance force at the resonance speed range. The soft suspension CMWA can effectively reduce the force on the bearing (also disturbance forces produced by the CMWA at high rotational speed, and also reduce the nonlinear characteristic of the stiffness. However, the instability of the soft suspension CMWA will limit the maximum rotational speed of the CMWA. Thus, a "proper" stiffness of the soft suspension system is a trade-off strategy between reduction of the force and extension of the speed range simultaneously.

A semi-active (SA) control system based on the use of smart magnetorheological (MR) dampers to control the structural response of a wind turbine is proposed herein. The innovative approach is based on the implementation and use of a variable-properties base restraint. This is able to modify in real......, and a control algorithm that instantaneously commands the latter during the motion, making them to modulate the reactive force as needed to achieve the performance goals. The design and operation of such a system are shown with reference to a case study consisting of an almost 100 m tall wind turbine, realized...

This paper focuses on improving the performance of the rigid support cantilevered momentum wheel assemblies (CMWA) by soft suspension support. A CMWA, supported by two angular contact ball bearings, was modeled as a Jeffcott rotor. The support stiffness, before and after in series with a linear soft suspension support, were simplified as two Duffing's type springs respectively. The result shows that the rigid support CMWA produces large disturbance force at the resonance speed range. The soft...

A novel method of decentralized structural vibration control is presented. The control is assumed to be realized by a semi-active device. The objective is to stabilize a vibrating system with the optimal rates of decrease of the energy. The controller relies on an easily implemented decentralized switched state-feedback control law. It uses a set of communication channels to exchange the state information between the neighboring subcontrollers. The performance of the designed method is validated by means of numerical experiments performed for a double cantilever system equipped with a set of elastomers with controlled viscoelastic properties. In terms of the assumed objectives, the proposed control strategy significantly outperforms the passive damping cases and is competitive with a standard centralized control. The presented methodology can be applied to a class of bilinear control systems concerned with smart structural elements.

Semi-active or active suspensions not only increase driving comfort, but also permit the control system to be switched over if required in order to improve the transmission of forces at the points of contact between tire and road surface by minimizing the dynamic wheel loads. It may also be possible to use these systems to control wheel load distribution and, thus, influence braking or steering performance by changing the distribution of normal forces between the front and rear axles. This article examines the effect of the CRONE suspension control system on braking. The central idea is to use continuously variable dampers and fast load levelling devices to distribute the normal forces of tire between the front and rear axles. The basis principle is explained using known dynamic properties of active suspension, vehicles and tires. The effect of active suspension on vehicle response during braking is then evaluated using computer simulations from a two-wheel vehicle model. (orig.)

The harmonic steady-state responses of an MR seat isolator, designed and fabricated at the University of Maryland for the driver/commander seat of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), are measured over a temperature range from 100°C to 1000°C, and the damper behavior is characterized using a variant of the nonlinear Bingham plastic model. The effect of damper self-heating on the model parameters is investigated and the trends with temperature variation are presented. Numerical simulations are carried out to investigate seat isolation performance across a broad frequency spectrum as temperature and payload vary. Conclusions are drawn about the performance robustness to temperature variations of the semi-active skyhook control algorithm typically utilized in vibration isolation problems.

There is a need to further improve driver comfort in commercial vehicles. The variable geometry active suspension offers an interesting option to achieve this in an energy efficient way. However, the optimal control strategy and the overal performance potential remains unclear. The aim of this paper

Full Text Available In this paper, its theory design, analysis and test system of semi-active vibration controlling system used for precision machine have been done. Firstly, lathe bed and spindle entity were modeled by using UG software; Then modes of the machine bed and the key components of spindle were obtained by using ANSYS software; Finally, harmonic response analysis of lathe spindle under complex load was acquired, which provided a basis of MR damper’s structure optimization design for a certain type of precision machine. In order to prove its effectives, a prototype semi-active vibration controlling lathe with MR damper was developed. Tests have been done, and comparison results between passive vibration isolation equipment and semi-active vibration controlling equipment proved its good performances of MR damper.

In this paper the electrical distribution transformer has been studied numerically and the effect of outside temperature on its cooling performance has been investigated. The temperature range studied covers the hot climate regions. 250 KVA distribution transformer is chosen as a study model. A novel cooling fluid is proposed to improve the cooling performance of this transformer, transformer oil-based microencapsulated phase change materials suspension is used with volume concentration (5–25...

The semi-activesuspension systems for variable mass systems require long work stroke and variable damping, while the currently piston structure limits the work stroke for the magnetorheological (MR) dampers. The main work of this paper is to design a semi-active non-piston MR (NPMR) suspension rod for the reduction of the vibration of an automatic impeller washing machine, which is a typical variable mass system. The designed suspension rod locates in the suspension system that links the internal tub to the washing machine cabinet. The NPMR suspension rod includes a MR part and a air part. The MR part can provide low initial damping force and the unlimited work stroke compared with the piston MR damper. The hysteretic response tests and vibration performance evaluation with different loadings are conducted to verify the dynamic performance for the designed rod. The measured damping force of the MR part varies from 5 to 20 N. Studies of dehydration mode experiments of the washing machine indicate that its vibration acceleration with the NPMR suspension rods can reduce to half of the original passive ones in certain conditions.

Full Text Available To recycle the vibration energy of vehicles over rough roads, a hydraulic-electricity energy regenerative suspension (HEERS was designed in the present work, and simulations were performed with focus on its performance. On the basis of the system principle, the mathematical model of hydraulic-electrical energy regenerative absorber (HEERA and two degrees of freedom (DOF suspension dynamic model were constructed. Using the model of HEERA, simulations on force-displacement and force-velocity characteristics were performed with a 1.67 Hz frequency and a sinusoidal input adopted. And then in combination with HEERA model and two DOF suspension models, simulations on the performance of HEERS also were carried out. Finally, the influences of charging pressure and volume of the accumulator, hydraulic motor displacement, orifice area of check valve, and inner diameter of hydraulic pipelines on the performance of HEERA and HEERS were investigated in depth. The simulation results indicated that (i the damping characteristic of HEERA was coincident with the damping characteristics of traditional absorber; (ii the most remarkable influencing factor on the performance of HEERS was the hydraulic motor displacement, followed by orifice area of check valve, inner diameter of pipelines, and charging pressure of accumulator, while the effects of charging volume of accumulator were quite limited.

Abstract. The theory for structural control has been well developed and applied to perform excellent energy dissipation using dampers. Both active and semi-active control systems may be used to decide on the optimal switch point of the damper based on the current and past structural responses to the excitation of external.

This paper presents a detailed investigation on the robustness of large-scale 200 kN MR damper based semi-active control strategies in the presence of time delays in the control system. Although the effects of time delay on stability and performance degradation of an actively controlled system have been investigated extensively by many researchers, degradation in the performance of semi-active systems due to time delay has yet to be investigated. Since semi-active systems are inherently stable, instability problems due to time delay are unlikely to arise. This paper investigates the effects of time delay on the performance of a building with a large-scale MR damper, using numerical simulations of near- and far-field earthquakes. The MR damper is considered to be controlled by four different semi-active control algorithms, namely (i) clipped-optimal control (COC), (ii) decentralized output feedback polynomial control (DOFPC), (iii) Lyapunov control, and (iv) simple-passive control (SPC). It is observed that all controllers except for the COC are significantly robust with respect to time delay. On the other hand, the clipped-optimal controller should be integrated with a compensator to improve the performance in the presence of time delay. (paper)

Full Text Available In this paper the electrical distribution transformer has been studied numerically and the effect of outside temperature on its cooling performance has been investigated. The temperature range studied covers the hot climate regions. 250 KVA distribution transformer is chosen as a study model. A novel cooling fluid is proposed to improve the cooling performance of this transformer, transformer oil-based microencapsulated phase change materials suspension is used with volume concentration (5–25% as a cooling fluid instead of pure transformer oil. Paraffin wax is used as a phase change material to make the suspension, in addition to the ability of heat absorption due to melting, the paraffin wax considered as a good electrical insulator. Results obtained show that, using of MEPCM suspension instead of pure transformer oil lead to improve the cooling performance of transformer by reducing its temperature and as a consequence increasing its protection against the breakdown. The melting fraction increased with increasing outside temperature up to certain temperature after which the melting fraction reach maximum constant value (MF = 1 which indicate that, the choosing of PCM depend on the environment in which the transformer is used.

The use of friction dampers has been widely proposed for a variety of mechanical systems for which applying viscoelastic materials, fluid based dampers or other viscous dampers is impossible. An important example is the application of friction dampers in aircraft engines to reduce the blades' vibration amplitudes. In most cases, friction dampers have been studied in a passive manner, but significant improvements can be achieved by controlling the normal force in the contact region. The aim of this paper is to present and study five control strategies for friction dampers based on three different hysteresis cycles by using the Harmonic Balance Method (HBM), a numerical and experimental analysis. The first control strategy uses the friction force as a resistance when the system is deviating from its equilibrium position. The second control strategy maximizes the energy removal in each harmonic oscillation cycle by calculating the optimal normal force based on the last displacement peak. The third control strategy combines the first strategy with the homogenous modulation of the friction force. Finally, the last two strategies attempt to predict the system's movement based on its velocity and acceleration and our knowledge of its physical properties. Numerical and experimental studies are performed with these five strategies, which define the performance metrics. The experimental testing rig is fully identified and its parameters are used for numerical simulations. The obtained results show the satisfactory performance of the friction damper and selected strategy and the suitable agreement between the numerical and experimental results.

Many buildings in Japan currently have a base-isolation system with a low stiffness that is designed to shift the natural frequency of the building below the frequencies of the ground motion due to earthquakes. However, the ground motion observed during the 2011 Tohoku earthquake contained strong long-period waves that lasted for a record length of 3 min. To provide a novel and better solution against the long-period waves while maintaining the performance of the standard isolation range, the exploitation of the characteristics of nonlinear damping is proposed in this paper. This is motivated by previous studies of the authors, which have demonstrated that nonlinear damping can achieve desired performance over both low and high frequency regions and the optimal nonlinear damping force can be realized by closed loop controlled semi-active dampers. Simulation results have shown strong vibration isolation performance on a building model with identified parameters and have indicated that nonlinear damping can achieve low acceleration transmissibilities round the structural natural frequency as well as the higher ground motion frequencies that have been frequently observed during most earthquakes in Japan. In addition, physical building model based laboratory experiments are also conducted, The results demonstrate the advantages of the proposed nonlinear damping technologies over both traditional linear damping and more advanced Linear-Quadratic Gaussian (LQG) feedback control which have been used in practice to address building isolation system design and implementation problems. In comparison with the tuned-mass damper and other active control methods, the proposed solution offers a more pragmatic, low-cost, robust and effective alternative that can be readily installed into the base-isolation system of most buildings.

performance by introduction of apparent negative damper stiffness. The design of the control strategy aims at maximizing the damping ratio of the critical mode of the structure. Explicit solutions for the complex valued natural frequency of the damped structure and the associated damping ratio are obtained...... sufficiently accurate. This is done by letting the desired force be the input to an inverse Bingham model, which provides the corresponding desired voltage level of the MR damper. Numerical simulations are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed semi-active control strategy with apparent......Effective damping of large and flexible structures by semi-active dampers relies greatly on the control strategy applied, which should combine the robustness of passive devices and the increased damping performance often available from active control. For structural control the Magneto...

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The suction sockets that are commonly prescribed for transtibial amputees are believed to provide a better suspension than the pin/lock systems. Nevertheless, their effect on amputees' gait performance has not yet been fully investigated. The main intention of this study was to understand the potential effects of the Seal-in (suction and the Dermo (pin/lock suspension systems on amputees' gait performance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Ten unilateral transtibial amputees participated in this prospective study, and two prostheses were fabricated for each of them. A three-dimensional motion analysis system was used to evaluate the temporal-spatial, kinematics and kinetics variables during normal walking. We also asked the participants to complete some part of Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire (PEQ regarding their satisfaction and problems with both systems. The results revealed that there was more symmetry in temporal-spatial parameters between the prosthetic and sound limbs using the suction system. However, the difference between two systems was not significant (p<0.05. Evaluation of kinetic data and the subjects' feedback showed that the participants had more confidence using the suction socket and the sockets were more fit for walking. Nevertheless, the participants had more complaints with this system due to the difficulty in donning and doffing. CONCLUSION: It can be concluded that even though the suction socket could create better suspension, fit, and gait performance, overall satisfaction was higher with the pin/lock system due to easy donning and doffing of the prosthesis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: irct.ir IRCT2014012816395N1.

Yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolytes were deposited by suspension plasma spraying (SPS) and solution precursor plasma spraying (SPPS). The electrolytes were evaluated for permeability, microstructure, and electrochemical performance. With SPS, three different suspensions were tested to explore the influence of powder size distribution and liquid properties. Electrolytes made from suspensions of a powder with d50 = 2.6 μm were more gas-tight than those made from suspensions of a powder with d50 = 0.6 μm. A peak open circuit voltage of 1.00 V was measured at 750 °C with a cell with an electrolyte made from a suspension of d50 = 2.6 μm powder. The use of a flammable suspension liquid was beneficial for improving electrolyte conductivity when using lower energy plasmas, but the choice of liquid was less important when using higher energy plasmas. With SPPS, peak electrolyte conductivities were comparable to the peak conductivities of the SPS electrolytes. However, leak rates through the SPPS electrolytes were higher than those through the electrolytes made from suspensions of d50 = 2.6 μm powder. The electrochemical test data on SPPS electrolytes are the first reported in the literature.

Further improvements in the low frequency sensitivity of gravitational wave detectors are important for increasing the observable population of astrophysical sources, such as intermediate mass compact black hole binary systems. Improvements in the lower stage mirror and suspension systems will set challenging targets for the required thermal noise performance of the cantilever blade springs, which provide vertical softness and, thus, isolation to the mirror suspension stack. This is required due to the coupling between the vertical and horizontal axes due to the curvature of the Earth. This can be achieved through use of high mechanical Q materials, which are compatible with cryogenic cooling, such as crystalline silicon. However, such materials are brittle, posing further challenges for assembly/jointing and, more generally, for long-term robustness. Here, we report on experimental studies of the breaking strength of silicon at room temperature, via both tensile and 4-point flexural testing; and on the effects of various surface treatments and coatings on durability and strength. Single- and multi-layer DLC (diamond-like carbon) coatings, together with magnetron-sputtered silica and thermally-grown silica, are investigated, as are the effects of substrate preparation and argon plasma pre-treatment. Application of single- or multi-layer DLC coatings can significantly improve the failure stress of silicon flexures, in addition to improved robustness for handling (assessed through abrasion tests). Improvements of up to 80% in tensile strength, a twofold increase in flexural strength, in addition to a 6.4 times reduction in the vertical thermal noise contribution of the suspension stack at 10 Hz are reported (compared to current Advanced LIGO design). The use of silicon blade springs would also significantly reduce potential ‘crackling noise’ associated with the underlying discrete events associated with plastic deformation in loaded flexures.

Structural control systems are considered an effective alternative for reducing vibrations in civil structures and are classified according to their energy supply requirement: passive, semi-active, active and hybrid. Commonly used structural control systems in buildings are passive friction dampers, which add energy dissipation through damping mechanisms induced by sliding friction between their surfaces. Semi-Active Variable Friction Dampers (SAVFD) allow the optimum efficiency range of friction dampers to be enhanced by controlling the clamping force in real time. This paper describes the development and performance evaluation of a low-cost SAVFD for the reduction of vibrations of structures subject to earthquakes. The SAVFD and a benchmark structural control test structure were experimentally characterized and analytical models were developed and updated based on the dynamic characterization. Decentralized control algorithms were implemented and tested on a shaking table. Relative displacements and accelerations of the structure controlled with the SAVFD were 80% less than those of the uncontrolled structure

This paper describes an adaptive semi-active control method whereby nonlinear distributed systems are identified by their dynamical response. Approximate procedures are proposed which take into account the nonlinear behavior of the dynamic system considered. It is shown that only slight knowledge of nonlinearities is needed to apply feedback and feedforward control laws. The method is implemented to a simple example of a building with three degrees of freedom and the numerical results are analyzed

A single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) semi-active vibration control system based on a magnetorheological (MR) damper with an inner bypass is investigated in this paper. The MR damper employing a pair of concentric tubes, between which the key structure, i.e., the inner bypass, is formed and MR fluids are energized, is designed to provide large dynamic range (i.e., ratio of field-on damping force to field-off damping force) and damping force range. The damping force performance of the MR damper is modeled using phenomenological model and verified by the experimental tests. In order to assess its feasibility and capability in vibration control systems, the mathematical model of a SDOF semi-active vibration control system based on the MR damper and skyhook control strategy is established. Using an MTS 244 hydraulic vibration exciter system and a dSPACE DS1103 real-time simulation system, experimental study for the SDOF semi-active vibration control system is also conducted. Simulation results are compared to experimental measurements.

Porous ceramic samples were prepared from aqueous foam incorporated alumina suspension for application as hot aerosol filtering membrane. The procedure for establishment of membrane features required to maintain a desired flow condition was theoretically described and experimental work was designed to prepare ceramic membranes to meet the predicted criteria. Two best membranes, thus prepared, were selected for permeability tests up to 700 degrees C and their total and fractional collection efficiencies were experimentally evaluated. Reasonably good performance was achieved at room temperature, while at 700 degrees C, increased permeability was obtained with significant reduction in collection efficiency, which was explained by a combination of thermal expansion of the structure and changes in the gas properties.

A collocation-type control variable optimisation method is used to investigate the extent to which the fully active suspension (FAS) can be applied to improve the vehicle electronic stability control (ESC) performance and reduce the braking distance. First, the optimisation approach is applied to the scenario of vehicle stabilisation during the sine-with-dwell manoeuvre. The results are used to provide insights into different FAS control mechanisms for vehicle performance improvements related to responsiveness and yaw rate error reduction indices. The FAS control performance is compared to performances of the standard ESC system, optimal active brake system and combined FAS and ESC configuration. Second, the optimisation approach is employed to the task of FAS-based braking distance reduction for straight-line vehicle motion. Here, the scenarios of uniform and longitudinally or laterally non-uniform tyre-road friction coefficient are considered. The influences of limited anti-lock braking system (ABS) actuator bandwidth and limit-cycle ABS behaviour are also analysed. The optimisation results indicate that the FAS can provide competitive stabilisation performance and improved agility when compared to the ESC system, and that it can reduce the braking distance by up to 5% for distinctively non-uniform friction conditions.

This paper presents a neural network based semi-active control method for a rotary type magnetorheological (MR) damper. The characteristics of the MR damper are described by the classic Bouc-Wen model, and the performance of the proposed control method is evaluated in terms of a base exited shear...... to determine the damper current based on the derived optimal damper force. For that reason an inverse MR damper model is also designed based on the neural network identification of the particular rotary MR damper. The performance of the proposed controller is compared to that of an optimal pure viscous damper...

This paper presents a semi-active strategy for seismic protection of a benchmark cable-stayed bridge with consideration of multiple-support excitations. In this control strategy, Magnetorheological (MR) dampers are proposed as control devices, a LQG-clipped-optimal control algorithm is employed. An active control strategy, shown in previous researches to perform well at controlling the benchmark bridge when uniform earthquake motion was assumed, is also used in this study to control this benchmark bridge with consideration of multiple-support excitations. The performance of active control system is compared to that of the presented semi-active control strategy. Because the MR fluid damper is a controllable energy- dissipation device that cannot add mechanical energy to the structural system, the proposed control strategy is fail-safe in that bounded-input, bounded-output stability of the controlled structure is guaranteed. The numerical results demonstrated that the performance of the presented control design is nearly the same as that of the active control system; and that the MR dampers can effectively be used to control seismically excited cable-stayed bridges with multiple-support excitations.

Full Text Available To study the effect of supercapacitor initial terminal voltage on the regenerative and semiactive suspension energy-regeneration and dynamic performance, firstly, the relationship between supercapacitor terminal voltage and linear motor electromagnetic damping force and that between supercapacitor terminal voltage and recycled energy by the supercapacitor in one single switching period were both analyzed. The result shows that the linear motor electromagnetic damping force is irrelevant to the supercapacitor terminal voltage, and the recycled energy by the supercapacitor reaches the maximum when initial terminal voltage of the supercapacitor equals output terminal voltage of the linear motor. Then, performances of system dynamics and energy-regeneration were studied as the supercapacitor initial terminal voltage varied in situations of B level and C level road. The result showed that recycled energy by the supercapacitor increased at first and then decreased while the dynamic performance had no obvious change. On the basis of previous study, a mode-switching control strategy of supercapacitor for the regenerative and semiactive suspension system was proposed, and the mode-switching rule was built. According to simulation and experiment results, the system energy-regeneration efficiency can be increased by utilizing the control strategy without influencing suspension dynamic performance, which is highly valuable to practical engineering.

This research focuses on theoretical and experimental analysis of an adaptive seat suspension employing magnetorheological energy absorber with the objective of minimizing injury potential to seated occupant of different weights subjected to broader crash intensities. The research was segmented into three tasks: (1) development of magnetorheological energy absorber, (2) biodynamic modeling of a seated occupant, and (3) control schemes for shock mitigation. A linear stroking semi-active magnetorheological energy absorber (MREA) was designed, fabricated and tested for intense impact conditions with piston velocities up to 8 m/s. MREA design was optimized on the basis of Bingham-plastic model (BPM model) in order to maximize the energy absorption capabilities at high impact velocities. Computational fluid dynamics and magnetic FE analysis were conducted to validate MREA performance. Subsequently, low-speed cyclic testing (0-2 Hz subjected to 0-5.5 A) and high-speed drop testing (0-4.5 m/s at 0 A) were conducted for quantitative comparison with the numerical simulations. Later, a nonlinear four degrees-of-freedom biodynamic model representing a seated 50th percentile male occupant was developed on the basis of experiments conducted on Hybrid II 50th percentile male anthropomorphic test device. The response of proposed biodynamic model was compared quantitatively against two different biodynamic models from the literature that are heavily implemented for obtaining biodynamic response under impact conditions. The proposed biodynamic model accurately predicts peak magnitude, overall shape and the duration of the biodynamic transient response, with minimal phase shift. The biodynamic model was further validated against 16 impact tests conducted on horizontal accelerator facility at NAVAIR for two different shock intensities. Compliance effects of human body were also investigated on the performance of adaptive seat suspension by comparing the proposed biodynamic model

Non-propulsive work demand has been linked to reduced energetic economy of cross-country mountain biking. The purpose of this study was to determine mechanical, physiological and performance differences and observe economy while riding a downhill section of a cross-country course prior to and following the metabolic "load" of a climb at race pace under two conditions (hardtail and full suspension) expected to alter vibration damping mechanics. Participants completed 1 lap of the track incorporating the same downhill section twice, under two conditions (hardtail and full suspension). Performance was determined by time to complete overall lap and specific terrain sections. Power, cadence, heart rate and oxygen consumption were sampled and logged every second while triaxial accelerometers recorded accelerations (128 Hz) to quantify vibration. No differences between performance times (P = 0.65) or power outputs (P = 0.61) were observed while physiological demand of loaded downhill riding was significantly greater (P 0.05) measures. This study showed minimal advantage of a full suspension bike in our trial, with further investigations over a full race distance warranted.

In press working, unidirectional transmission of mechanical energy is expected in order to maximize the life of the dies. To realize this transmission, the author has developed a shock control system based on the sliding mode control technique. The controller makes a collision-receiving object effectively deform plastically by adjusting the force of the actuator inserted between the colliding objects, while the deformation of the colliding object is held at the necessity minimum. However, the actuator has to generate a large force corresponding to the impulsive force. Therefore, development of such an actuator is a formidable challenge. The author has proposed a semi-active shock control system in which the impulsive force is adjusted by a brake mechanism, although the system exhibits inferior performance. Thus, the author has also designed an actuator using a friction device for semi-active shock control, and proposed an active seatbelt system as an application. The effectiveness has been confirmed by a numerical simulation and model experiment. In this study, the optimal deformation change of the colliding object is theoretically examined in the case that the collision-receiving object has perfect plasticity and the colliding object has perfect elasticity. As a result, the optimal input condition is obtained so that the ratio of the maximum deformation of the collision-receiving object to the maximum deformation of the colliding object becomes the maximum. Additionally, the energy balance is examined.

This article applied the idea of block pulse functions in the semi-active control of structures. The BP functions give effective tools to approximate complex problems. The applied control algorithm has a major effect on the performance of the controlled system and the requirements of the control devices. In control problems, it is important to devise an accurate analytical technique with less computational cost. It is proved that the BP functions are fundamental tools in approximation problems which have been applied in disparate areas in last decades. This study focuses on the employment of BP functions in control algorithm concerning reduction the computational cost. Magneto-rheological (MR) dampers are one of the well-known semi-active tools that can be used to control the response of civil Structures during earthquake. For validation purposes, numerical simulations of a 5-story shear building frame with MR dampers are presented. The results of suggested method were compared with results obtained by controlling the frame by the optimal control method based on linear quadratic regulator theory. It can be seen from simulation results that the suggested method can be helpful in reducing seismic structural responses. Besides, this method has acceptable accuracy and is in agreement with optimal control method with less computational costs.

Engine mounts are used in the automotive industry to isolate engine and chassis by reducing the noise and vibration imposed from one to the other. This paper describes modelling, simulation and design of a semi-active engine mount that is designed specifically to address the complicated vibration pattern of variable displacement engines (VDE). The ideal isolation for VDE requires the stiffness to be switchable upon cylinder activation/deactivation operating modes. In order to have a modular design, the same hydraulic engine mount components are maintained and a novel auxiliary magneto-rheological (MR) fluid chamber is developed and retrofitted inside the pumping chamber. The new compliance chamber is a controllable pressure regulator, which can effectively alter the dynamic performance of the mount. Switching between different modes happens by turning the electrical current to the MR chamber magnetic coil on and off. A model has been developed for the passive hydraulic mount and then it is extended to include the MR auxiliary chamber as well. A proof-of-concept prototype of the design has been fabricated which validates the mathematical model. The results demonstrate unique capability of the developed semi-active mount to be used for VDE application.

Magnetorheological elastomer (MRE) base isolations have attracted considerable attention over the last two decades thanks to its self-adaptability and high-authority controllability in semi-active control realm. Due to the inherent nonlinearity and hysteresis of the devices, it is challenging to obtain a reasonably complicated mathematical model to describe the inverse dynamics of MRE base isolators and hence to realise control synthesis of the MRE base isolation system. Two aims have been achieved in this paper: i) development of an inverse model for MRE base isolator based on optimal general regression neural network (GRNN); ii) numerical and experimental validation of a real-time semi-active controlled MRE base isolation system utilising LQR controller and GRNN inverse model. The superiority of GRNN inverse model lays in fewer input variables requirement, faster training process and prompt calculation response, which makes it suitable for online training and real-time control. The control system is integrated with a three-storey shear building model and control performance of the MRE base isolation system is compared with bare building, passive-on isolation system and passive-off isolation system. Testing results show that the proposed GRNN inverse model is able to reproduce desired control force accurately and the MRE base isolation system can effectively suppress the structural responses when compared to the passive isolation system.

A recently presented method for actuator and sensor selection for linear control systems is applied and evaluated for an active vehicle suspension control problem. The aim is to eliminate the actuator/sensor combinations for which no controller exists that achieves a specified level of robust

Full Text Available In order to perform experimentally studies, in the paper it is presented a simple method which was elaborated to realize reliable, at low cost and reproducible semi-active dampers with magnetorheological fluids, having external magnetic circuit. The main components are common constitutive elements of industrial hydraulic and pneumatic drivers, having the supplementary advantages being manufactured in a large scale of overall dimensions and demanding minimal modifications. As accumulator, a similar type of hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder was used. The work of the whole damper can be optimized by modifying the nitrogen pressure and interior volume of accumulator. Another important advantage of this conception is the possibility to realize a modular structure composed by the damper, accumulator and magnetic field generator, interconnected by flexible elements.

The high energy consumption of market-ready active suspension systems is the limiting factor in the competition with semi-active devices. The variable geometry active suspension is an alternative with a significantly lower power consumption. However, previous designs suffer from packaging problems,

The high energy consumption of market-ready active suspension systems is the limiting factor in the competition with semi-active devices. The variable geometry active suspension is an alternative with a significantly lower power consumption. However, previous designs suffer from packaging problems,

Full Text Available The use of polyamic acid (PAA precursor as interphase in polymer composites is one of the many applications of polyimides (PIs. In this work, composites based on poly(ether-ether-ketone (PEEK and carbon fibers were prepared using two manufacturing techniques for thermoplastic composites: hot compression molding, and aqueous polymeric suspension prepregging using PIs as interphase. Two PAAs were synthesized and used as interphases: 3,3'-4,4'-benzophenonetetracarboxylic dianhydride/oxydianiline (BTDA/ODA and pyromellitic dianhydride/oxydianiline (PMDA/ODA. The PAA/PI systems were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC, thermogravimetry (TGA, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR. Results from these analyses confirmed the synthesis of these compounds. Aqueous polymeric suspension prepregging was more efficient than hot compression molding when the PMDA/ODA PAA/PI interphase was used; also, the interlaminar shear strength of composites produced using this technique was 14.5% higher than the one produced using hot compression molding.

In recent years, intelligent prosthetic knees have been developed that enable amputees to walk as normally as possible when compared to healthy subjects. Although semi-active prosthetic knees utilizing magnetorheological (MR) dampers offer several advantages, they lack the ability to generate active force that is required during some states of a normal gait cycle. This prevents semi-active knees from achieving the same level of performance as active devices. In this work, a new control algorithm for a semi-active prosthetic knee during the swing phase is proposed to reduce this gap. The controller uses neural network predictive control and particle swarm optimization to calculate suitable command signals. Simulation results using a double pendulum model show that the generated knee trajectory of the proposed controller is more similar to the normal gait than previous open-loop controllers at various ambulation speeds. Moreover, the investigation shows that the algorithm can be calculated in real time by an embedded system, allowing for easy implementation on real prosthetic knees.

The 10 MW Demonstration of the Gas Suspension Absorption (GSA) program is a government and industry co-funded technology development. The objective of the project is to demonstrate the performance of the GSA system in treating a 10 MW slipstream of flue gas resulting from the combustion of a high sulfur coal. This project involves design, fabrication, construction and testing of the GSA system. The Project Performance and Economics Report provides the nonproprietary information for the ``10 MW Demonstration of the Gas Suspension Absorption (GSA) Project`` installed at Tennessee Valley Authority`s (TVA) Shawnee Power Station, Center for Emissions Research (CER) at Paducah, Kentucky. The program demonstrated that the GSA flue-gas-desulfurization (FGD) technology is capable of achieving high SO{sub 2} removal efficiencies (greater than 90%), while maintaining particulate emissions below the New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), without any negative environmental impact (section 6). A 28-day test demonstrated the reliability and operability of the GSA system during continuous operation. The test results and detailed discussions of the test data can be obtained from TVA`s Final Report (Appendix A). The Air Toxics Report (Appendix B), prepared by Energy and Environmental Research Corporation (EERC) characterizes air toxic emissions of selected hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from the GSA process. The results of this testing show that the GSA system can substantially reduce the emission of these HAP. With its lower capital costs and maintenance costs (section 7), as compared to conventional semi-dry scrubbers, the GSA technology commands a high potential for further commercialization in the United States. For detailed information refer to The Economic Evaluation Report (Appendix C) prepared by Raytheon Engineers and Constructors.

This paper describes the first demonstration of vibration isolation and suspension systems, which have been developed with view to application in the proposed Australian International Gravitational Observatory. In order to achieve optimal performance at low frequencies new components and techniques have been combined to create a compact advanced vibration isolator structure. The design includes two stages of horizontal preisolation and one stage of vertical preisolation with resonant frequencies ˜100 mHz. The nested structure facilitates a compact design and enables horizontal preisolation stages to be configured to create a superspring configuration, where active feedback can enable performance close to the limit set by seismic tilt coupling. The preisolation stages are combined with multistage three-dimensional (3D) pendulums. Two isolators suspending mirror test masses have been developed to form a 72 m optical cavity with finesse ˜700 in order to test their performance. The suitability of the isolators for use in suspended optical cavities is demonstrated through their ease of locking, long term stability, and low residual motion. An accompanying paper presents the local control system and shows how simple upgrades can substantially improve residual motion performance.

Semi-active concepts for helicopter vibration reduction are developed and evaluated in this dissertation. Semi-active devices, controllable stiffness devices or controllable orifice dampers, are introduced; (i) in the blade root region (rotor-based concept) and (ii) between the rotor and the fuselage as semi-active isolators (in the non-rotating frame). Corresponding semi-active controllers for helicopter vibration reduction are also developed. The effectiveness of the rotor-based semi-active vibration reduction concept (using stiffness and damping variation) is demonstrated for a 4-bladed hingeless rotor helicopter in moderate- to high-speed forward flight. A sensitivity study shows that the stiffness variation of root element can reduce hub vibrations when proper amplitude and phase are used. Furthermore, the optimal semi-active control scheme can determine the combination of stiffness variations that produce significant vibration reduction in all components of vibratory hub loads simultaneously. It is demonstrated that desired cyclic variations in properties of the blade root region can be practically achieved using discrete controllable stiffness devices and controllable dampers, especially in the flap and lag directions. These discrete controllable devices can produce 35--50% reduction in a composite vibration index representing all components of vibratory hub loads. No detrimental increases are observed in the lower harmonics of blade loads and blade response (which contribute to the dynamic stresses) and controllable device internal loads, when the optimal stiffness and damping variations are introduced. The effectiveness of optimal stiffness and damping variations in reducing hub vibration is retained over a range of cruise speeds and for variations in fundamental rotor properties. The effectiveness of the semi-active isolator is demonstrated for a simplified single degree of freedom system representing the semi-active isolation system. The rotor

Conventional squeeze film dampers (SFDs) have shown their effectiveness in suppressing unbalanced vibrations in rotor systems, particularly supported by rolling element bearings. Recently, there is an increasing demand for 'controllable' SFDs to meet the need of modern rotating machinery, characterized by high operating speed and high load capacity. Thus, this paper presents a controllable semi-active SFD using magneto-rheological (MR) fluids, focusing on its design and modeling. It offers a comprehensive design method and an innovative experimental identification and modeling technique for MR-SFDs. The primary goal of the MR-SFD design is set to maximize its dynamic control bandwidth, and the design method includes the material selection, magnetic circuit analysis and sealing element design. After constructing a prototype MR-SFD based on the final design, this work investigated how some of the critical design parameters affect the performance of the MR-SFD (i.e. its dynamic control bandwidth change). Furthermore, it characterized the damper's dynamic behavior experimentally using a novel excitation method that adopts active magnetic bearing (AMB) units. Unlike conventional methods, the AMB system was able to precisely control the amplitude and frequency of the input excitation, enabling us to obtain the nonlinear dynamic stiffness properties of the MR-SFD with varying input current. In modeling the dynamic behavior of the MR-SFD, this study employed the describing function method. The describing function analysis effectively captured the nonlinear dynamic behavior of the MR-SFD

This work is inspired by the idea of dissipating seismic energy at the base of prefabricated RC columns via semi-active (SA) variable dampers exploiting the base rocking. It was performed a wide numerical campaign to investigate the seismic behaviour of a pre-cast RC column with a variable base restraint. The latter is based on the combined use of a hinge, elastic springs, and magnetorheological (MR) dampers remotely controlled according to the instantaneous response of the structural component. The MR devices are driven by a SA control algorithm purposely written to modulate the dissipative capability so as to reduce base bending moment without causing excessive displacement at the top. The proposed strategy results to be really promising, since the base restraint relaxation, that favours the base moment demand reduction, is accompanied by a high enhancement of the dissipated energy due to rocking that can be even able to reduce top displacement in respect to the “fixed base rotation” conditions.

The present paper studies the control of monopile offshore wind turbines subjected to multi-hazards consisting of wind, wave and earthquake. A Semi-active tuned mass damper (STMD) with tunable natural frequency and damping ratio is introduced to control the dynamic response. A new fully coupled analytical model of the monopile offshore wind turbine with an STMD is established. The aerodynamic, hydrodynamic and seismic loading models are derived. Soil effects and damage are considered. The National Renewable Energy Lab monopile 5 MW baseline wind turbine model is employed to examine the performance of the STMD. A passive tuned mass damper (TMD) is utilized for comparison. Through numerical simulation, it is found that before damage occurs, the wind and wave induced response is more dominant than the earthquake induced response. With damage presence in the tower and the foundation, the nacelle and the tower response is increased dramatically and the natural frequency is decreased considerably. As a result, the passive TMD with fixed parameters becomes off-tuned and loses its effectiveness. In comparison, the STMD retuned in real-time demonstrates consistent effectiveness in controlling the dynamic response of the monopile offshore wind turbines under multi-hazards and damage with a smaller stroke.

This paper is focused on modelling, design, and testing of semi-active magneto-rheological (MR) engine and transmission mounts used in the automotive industry. The purpose is to develop a complete analysis, synthesis, design, and tuning tool that reduces the need for expensive and time-consuming laboratory and field tests. A detailed mathematical model of such devices is developed using multi-physics modelling techniques for physical systems with various energy domains. The model includes all major features of an MR mount including fluid dynamics, fluid track, elastic components, decoupler, rate-dip, gas-charged chamber, MR fluid rheology, magnetic circuit, electronic driver, and control algorithm. Conventional passive hydraulic mounts can also be studied using the same mathematical model. The model is validated using standard experimental procedures. It is used for design and parametric study of mounts; effects of various geometric and material parameters on dynamic response of mounts can be studied. Additionally, this model can be used to test various control strategies to obtain best vibration isolation performance by tuning control parameters. Another benefit of this work is that nonlinear interactions between sub-components of the mount can be observed and investigated. This is not possible by using simplified linear models currently available.

Full Text Available A kind of semi-active hydraulic engine mount is studied in this paper. After careful analysis of its structure and working principle, the FEA simulation of it was divided into two cases. One is the solenoid valve is open, so the air chamber connects to the atmosphere, and Fluid-Structure Interaction was used. Another is the solenoid valve is closed, and the air chamber has pressure, so Fluid-Structure-Gas Interaction was used. The test of this semi-active hydraulic engine mount was carried out to compare with the simulation results, and verify the accuracy of the model. Then the dynamic characteristics-dynamic stiffness and damping angle were analysed by simulation and test. This paper provides theoretical support for the development and optimization of the semi-active hydraulic engine mount.

An overview is presented of research that focuses on slow flows of suspensions in which colloidal and inertial effects are negligibly small. The authors describe nuclear magnetic resonance imaging experiments to quantitatively measure particle migration occurring in concentrated suspensions undergoing a flow with a nonuniform shear rate. These experiments address the issue of how the flow field affects the microstructure of suspensions. In order to understand the local viscosity in a suspension with such a flow-induced, spatially varying concentration, one must know how the viscosity of a homogeneous suspension depends on such variables as solids concentration and particle orientation. The authors suggest the technique of falling ball viscometry, using small balls, as a method to determine the effective viscosity of a suspension without affecting the original microstructure significantly. They also describe data from experiments in which the detailed fluctuations of a falling ball's velocity indicate the noncontinuum nature of the suspension and may lead to more insights into the effects of suspension microstructure on macroscopic properties. Finally, they briefly describe other experiments that can be performed in quiescent suspensions (in contrast to the use of conventional shear rotational viscometers) in order to learn more about boundary effects in concentrated suspensions

Equation 2 and Equation 3, respectively. 3. METHOD The primary method of data collection for this report is detailed in the 2008 Joint Live Fire ...tests and the helmet system tests (see Figure 3). All testing was performed with a monorail drop tower (see Figure 4) at three conditioning...right) and system test setup (right and center left) Figure 5. MEP monorail drop test setup with a hemispherical impactor (left and center left

Highlights: ► Piping system with semi-active variable stiffness damper is investigated under different seismic excitations. ► Switching control law and modified switching control law are adopted. ► There exist an optimum parameters of the SAVSD. ► Substantial reduction of the seismic response of piping system with SAVSD is observed. ► Good amount of energy dissipation is observed. -- Abstract: Seismic loads on piping system due to earthquakes can cause excessive vibrations, which can lead to serious instability resulting in damage or complete failure. In this paper, semi-active variable stiffness dampers (SAVSDs) have been studied to mitigate seismic response and vibration control of piping system used in the process industries, fossil and fissile fuel power plant. The SAVSD changes its stiffness depending upon the piping response and accordingly adds the control forces in the piping system. A study is conducted on the performance of SAVSD due to variation in device stiffness ratios in the switching control law and modified switching control law, which plays an important role in the present control algorithm of the damper. The effectiveness of the SAVSD in terms of reduction in the responses, namely, displacements, accelerations and base shear of the piping system is investigated by comparing uncontrolled responses under four different artificial earthquake motions with increasing amplitudes. The analytical results demonstrate that the SAVSDs under particular optimum parameters are very effective and practically implementable for the seismic response mitigation, vibration control and seismic requalification of piping systems

Highlights: ► Piping system with semi-active variable stiffness damper is investigated under different seismic excitations. ► Switching control law and modified switching control law are adopted. ► There exist an optimum parameters of the SAVSD. ► Substantial reduction of the seismic response of piping system with SAVSD is observed. ► Good amount of energy dissipation is observed. -- Abstract: Seismic loads on piping system due to earthquakes can cause excessive vibrations, which can lead to serious instability resulting in damage or complete failure. In this paper, semi-active variable stiffness dampers (SAVSDs) have been studied to mitigate seismic response and vibration control of piping system used in the process industries, fossil and fissile fuel power plant. The SAVSD changes its stiffness depending upon the piping response and accordingly adds the control forces in the piping system. A study is conducted on the performance of SAVSD due to variation in device stiffness ratios in the switching control law and modified switching control law, which plays an important role in the present control algorithm of the damper. The effectiveness of the SAVSD in terms of reduction in the responses, namely, displacements, accelerations and base shear of the piping system is investigated by comparing uncontrolled responses under four different artificial earthquake motions with increasing amplitudes. The analytical results demonstrate that the SAVSDs under particular optimum parameters are very effective and practically implementable for the seismic response mitigation, vibration control and seismic requalification of piping systems.

This paper deals with introducing MR dampers to the Train Suspension System for improving the ride comfort of the passengers. This type of suspension system comes under Semi-activesuspension system which utilizes the properties of MR fluid to damp the vibrations. In case of high speed trains, the coach body is subjected to vibrations due to vertical displacement, yaw and pitch movements. When the body receives these disturbances from the ground,the transmission of vibrations to the passenger increases which affect the ride comfort. In this work, the equations of motion of suspension system are developed for both conventional passive system and semi-active system and are modelled in Matlab/Simulink and analysis has been carried out. The passive suspension system analysis shows that it is taking more time to damp the vibrations and at the same time the transmissibility of vibrations is more.Introducing MR dampers,vertical and angular displacements of the body are computed and compared. The results show that the introduction of MR dampers into the train suspension system improves ride comfort.

Design analysis of suspension especially for racecar suspension is very crucial to achieve maximum performance and handling. Suspension design may vary depending on the road terrain and the vehicle purpose itself, such as high speed or off-road vehicle. This paper focused on the suspension which used for racecar vehicle. The suspension type used was unequal double wishbone. This model is used because of its stability for high-speed usage compared to another kind of suspension. The suspension parameter was calculated to achieve desired performance. The result is the motion ratio of the designed suspension geometry. The obtained value of motion ratio was 1:2 for front suspension and 1:1 for the rear suspension. These calculation result the front suspension is still too soft, which the optimal motion ratio should be kept around 1:1 for better handling. This problem caused by the lack of space for suspension linkage.

This paper presents the hybrid modeling and the model predictive control of an air suspension system with damping multi-mode switching damper. Unlike traditional damper with continuously adjustable damping, in this study, a new damper with four discrete damping modes is applied to vehicle semi-active air suspension. The new damper can achieve different damping modes by just controlling the on-off statuses of two solenoid valves, which makes its damping adjustment more efficient and more reliable. However, since the damping mode switching induces different modes of operation, the air suspension system with the new damper poses challenging hybrid control problem. To model both the continuous/discrete dynamics and the switching between different damping modes, the framework of mixed logical dynamical (MLD) systems is used to establish the system hybrid model. Based on the resulting hybrid dynamical model, the system control problem is recast as a model predictive control (MPC) problem, which allows us to optimize the switching sequences of the damping modes by taking into account the suspensionperformance requirements. Numerical simulations results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed control method finally.

There are some disadvantages for existing heave compensation systems of drill string used for the Floating Drilling Platform (FDP), including high energy consumption, large and complex structure, and expensive manufacturing and maintenance costs. In view of the above, we present a streamlined mechanical semi-active heave compensation system (MSAHC) in this study. This system consists of active compensation part with the pinion and rack and passive compensation part. In order to evaluate system performance of the MSAHC, we establish its simulation model with AMEsim software. In the process of simulation, displacement of rotary hook and energy consumption is regarded as performance parameters of the system. And the change rule of two performance parameters are analyzed by changing these design parameters including gear radius of the pinion and rack, scale coefficient of PID, rotary hook load, heave height and heave period of the FDP, and accumulator volume. Then, based on the simulation results of the MSAHC system performance, we have selected out a best set of design parameters from them. Moreover, the feasibility of the design scheme of the MSAHC is effectively verified by comparison with the existing three heave compensation system. The result shows that the energy consumption of the MSAHC is lower than the active heave compensation system (AHC) and the semi-active heave compensation system (SAHC) when achieving a same compensation effect as well as the accumulator volume of MSAHC is half of the passive heave compensation system (PHC). Therefore, the new designed MSAHC not only ensure compensation effect but also lower energy consumption, and its structure is simplified by adopting the simple mechanical structure to decrease manufacturing cost, maintenance cost and floor space. PMID:26186620

Superconductors, especially high T c ones, are the most attractive materials to design stable and fully passive magnetic suspensions which have to control five degrees of freedom. The hybrid superconducting magnetic suspensions present high performances and a simple cooling mode. They consist of a permanent magnet bearing, stabilized by a suitable magnet-superconductor structure. Several designs are given and compared in terms of forces and stiffnesses. The design of the magnet bearing plays an important part. The superconducting magnetic bearing participates less in levitation but must provide a high stabilizing stiffness. This is achieved by the magnet configuration, a good material in term of critical current density and field cooling. A hybrid superconducting suspension for a flywheel is presented. This system consists of a magnet thrust bearing stabilized by superconductors interacting with an alternating polarity magnet structure. First tests and results are reported. Superconducting materials are magnetically melt-textured YBaCuO

The influence of suspension tuning of passenger cars on bounce and pitch ride performance has been explored in a number of studies, while only minimal efforts have been made for establishing similar rules for heavy vehicles. This study aims to explore pitch dynamics and suspension tunings of a two-axle heavy vehicle with unconnected suspension, which could also provide valuable information for heavy vehicles with coupled suspensions. Based on a generalised pitch-plane model of a two-axle heav...

Full Text Available As one of the main characteristics of seismic waves, apparent wave velocity has great influence on seismic responses of long-span suspension bridges. Understanding these influences is important for seismic design. In this article, the critical issues concerning the traveling wave effect analysis are first reviewed. Taizhou Bridge, the longest triple-tower suspension bridge in the world, is then taken as an example for this investigation. A three-dimensional finite element model of the bridge is established in ABAQUS, and the LANCZOS eigenvalue solver is employed to calculate the structural dynamic characteristics. Traveling wave effect on seismic responses of these long-span triple-tower suspension bridges is investigated. Envelopes of seismic shear force and moment in the longitudinal direction along the three towers, relative displacements between the towers and the girder, and reaction forces at the bottoms of the three towers under different apparent wave velocities are calculated and presented in detail. The results show that the effect of apparent wave velocity on the seismic responses of triple-tower suspension bridge fluctuates when the velocity is lower than 2000 m/s, and the effects turn stable when the velocity becomes larger. In addition, the effects of traveling wave are closely related to spectral characteristics and propagation direction of the seismic wave, and seismic responses of components closer to the source are relatively larger. Therefore, reliable estimation of the seismic input and apparent wave velocity according to the characteristics of the bridge site are significant for accurate prediction of seismic responses. This study provides critical reference for seismic analysis and design of long-span triple-tower suspension bridges.

This paper presents the analysis, design and manufacture of a low cost, low maintenance and long-range prototype of RFID transponder with continuous operability. A prototype of semi-active RFID transponder is produced with a range that can be extended via a DC input to allow all of the readers signal power to be reflected via backscatter modulation. The transponder is powered via solar harvested power which is selected over other energy harvesting technologies as it provides a greater energy ...

Integrated structural health monitoring (SHM) and vibration control has been considered recently by researchers. Up to now, all of the research in the field of integrated SHM and vibration control has been conducted using control devices and control algorithms to enhance system identification and damage detection. In this study, online SHM is used to improve the performance of structural vibration control, unlike previous research. Also, a proposed algorithm including integrated online SHM and a semi-active control strategy is used to reduce both damage and seismic response of the main structure due to strong seismic disturbance. In the proposed algorithm the nonlinear behavior of the building structure is simulated during the excitation. Then, using the measured data and the damage detection algorithm based on identified system Markov parameters (DDA/ISMP), a method proposed by the authors, damage corresponding to axial and bending stiffness of all structural elements is identified. In this study, a 20 t MR damper is employed as a control device to mitigate both damage and dynamic response of the building structure. Also, the interaction between SHM and a semi-active control strategy is assessed. To illustrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, a two bay two story steel braced frame structure is used. By defining the damage index and damage rate index, the input current of the MR damper is generated using a fuzzy logic controller. The obtained results show that the possibility of smart building creation is provided using the proposed algorithm. In comparison to the widely used strategy of only vibration control, it is shown that the proposed algorithm is more effective. Furthermore, in the proposed algorithm, the total consumed current intensity and generated control forces are considerably less than for the strategy of only vibration control. (paper)

Integrated structural health monitoring (SHM) and vibration control has been considered recently by researchers. Up to now, all of the research in the field of integrated SHM and vibration control has been conducted using control devices and control algorithms to enhance system identification and damage detection. In this study, online SHM is used to improve the performance of structural vibration control, unlike previous research. Also, a proposed algorithm including integrated online SHM and a semi-active control strategy is used to reduce both damage and seismic response of the main structure due to strong seismic disturbance. In the proposed algorithm the nonlinear behavior of the building structure is simulated during the excitation. Then, using the measured data and the damage detection algorithm based on identified system Markov parameters (DDA/ISMP), a method proposed by the authors, damage corresponding to axial and bending stiffness of all structural elements is identified. In this study, a 20 t MR damper is employed as a control device to mitigate both damage and dynamic response of the building structure. Also, the interaction between SHM and a semi-active control strategy is assessed. To illustrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm, a two bay two story steel braced frame structure is used. By defining the damage index and damage rate index, the input current of the MR damper is generated using a fuzzy logic controller. The obtained results show that the possibility of smart building creation is provided using the proposed algorithm. In comparison to the widely used strategy of only vibration control, it is shown that the proposed algorithm is more effective. Furthermore, in the proposed algorithm, the total consumed current intensity and generated control forces are considerably less than for the strategy of only vibration control.

The development of a powerful new magnetorheological fluid (MRF), together with recent progress in the understanding of the behavior of such fluids, has convinced researchers and engineers that MRF dampers are among the most promising devices for semi-active automotive suspension vibration control, because of their large force capacity and their inherent ability to provide a simple, fast and robust interface between electronic controls and mechanical components. In this paper, theoretical and experimental studies are performed for the design, development and testing of a completely new MRF damper model that can be used for the semi-active control of automotive suspensions. The MR damper technology presented in this paper is based on a completely new approach where, in contrast to in the conventional solutions where the coil axis is usually superposed on the damper axis and where the inner cylindrical housing is part of the magnetic circuit, the coils are wound in a direction perpendicular to the damper axis. The paper investigates approaches to optimizing the dynamic response and provides experimental verification. Both experimental and theoretical results have shown that, if this particular model is filled with an 'MRF 336AG' MR fluid, it can provide large controllable damping forces that require only a small amount of energy. For a magnetizing system with four coils, the damping coefficient could be increased by up to three times for an excitation current of only 2 A. Such current could be reduced to less than 1 A if the magnetizing system used eight small cores. In this case, the magnetic field will be more powerful and more regularly distributed. In the presence of harmonic excitation, such a design will allow the optimum compromise between comfort and stability to be reached over different intervals of the excitation frequencies.

In this paper, the semi-active RFID watt-hour meter is applied to automatic test lines and intelligent warehouse management, from the transmission system, test system and auxiliary system, monitoring system, realize the scheduling of watt-hour meter, binding, control and data exchange, and other functions, make its more accurate positioning, high efficiency of management, update the data quickly, all the information at a glance. Effectively improve the quality, efficiency and automation of verification, and realize more efficient data management and warehouse management.

Semi-Active Laser (SAL) guidance systems were developed starting in the mid-1960's and today form an important class of precision guided weapons. The laser wavelengths generally fall in the short wave infrared region of the spectrum. Relative to passive, image based, infrared seekers the optical demands placed on the domes or windows of SAL seekers is very modest, allowing the use of low cost, easily manufactured materials, such as polycarbonate. This paper will examine the transition of SAL window and dome science and technology from the laboratory to battlefield, with special emphasis on the story of polycarbonate domes.

The intention of this paper is to present the results of a novel smart semi-active tuned mass damper (SA-TMD), which mitigates unwanted loads for both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind systems. (Presentation Format).

This study introduces a novel semi-active control scheme, where the linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) is combined with an unscented Kalman filter (UKF) observer, for the real-time mitigation of structural vibration. Due to a number of factors, such as environmental effects and ageing processes, the controlled system may be characterized by uncertainties. The UKF, which comprises a nonlinear observer, is employed herein for devising an adaptive semi-active control scheme capable of tackling such a challenge. This is achieved through the real-time realization of joint state and parameter estimation during the structural control process via the proposed LQR-UKF approach. The behavior of the introduced scheme is exemplified through two numerical applications. The efficacy of the devised methodology is firstly compared against the standard LQR-KF approach in a linear benchmark application where the system model is assumed known a priori, and secondly, the method is validated on a joint state and parameter estimation problem where the system model is assumed uncertain, formulated as nonlinear, and updated in real-time. (paper)

The paper deals with the semi-active control of vibrations of structural elements. Elastomer composites with ferromagnetic particles that act as magnetorheological fluids are used. The damping coefficient and the shear modulus of the elastomer increases when it is exposed to an electro-magnetic field. The control of this process in time allows us to reduce vibrations more effectively than if the elastomer is permanently exposed to a magnetic field. First the analytical solution for the vibrations of a sandwich beam filled with an elastomer is given. Then the control problem is defined and applied to the analytical formula. The numerical solution of the minimization problem results in a periodic, perfectly rectangular control function if free vibrations are considered. Such a temporarily acting magnetic field is more efficient than a constantly acting one. The surplus reaches 20-50% or more, depending on the filling ratio of the elastomer. The resulting control was verified experimentally in the vibrations of a cantilever sandwich beam. The proposed semi-active control can be directly applied to engineering vibrating structural elements, for example helicopter rotors, aircraft wings, pads under machines, and vehicles.

Full Text Available A reversed phase HPLC method that allows the separation and simultaneous determination of the preservatives methyl paraben (M.P. and propyl paraben (P.P. is described. The separations were effected by using an initial mobile phase of water: acetonitrile (50:50 on Inertsil C18 to elute P.P. and M.P. The detector wavelength was set at 205 nm. Under these conditions, separation of the two components was achieved in less than 10 min. Analytical characteristics of the separation such as precision, specificity, linear range and reproducibility were evaluated. The developed method was applied for the determination of preservative M.P. and P.P. at concentration of 0.01 mg/mL and 0.1 mg/mL respectively. The method was successfully used for determining both compounds in sucralfate suspension.

Full Text Available An LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated to be used as a stability indicating assay for the study of a 3 mg/mL lansoprazole oral suspension. The method utilizes a UPLC (ultra-performance liquid chromatography column and unique mass spectrometric detection (ion-trap time-of-flight (IT-TOF to achieve a sensitive (LOD 2 ng/mL, accurate, and reproducible quantification of lansoprazole. This method reports an intraday and interday coefficient of variation of 2.98 ± 2.17% (n=5 for each concentration for each day and 3.07 ± 0.89% (n=20 for each concentration, respectively. Calibration curves (5–25 μg/mL were found to be linear with an R2 value ranging from 0.9972 to 0.9991 on 4 different days. Accuracy of the assay, expressed as % error, ranged from 0.30 to 5.22%. This method is useful for monitoring the stability of lansoprazole in oral suspension.

Special issue in honour of Henk Lekkerkerker's 65th birthday Professor Henk N W Lekkerkerker is a world-leading authority in the field of experimental and theoretical soft condensed matter. On the occasion of his 65th birthday in the summer of 2011, this special issue celebrates his many contributions to science. Henk Lekkerkerker obtained his undergraduate degree in chemistry at the University of Utrecht (1968) and moved to Calgary where he received his PhD in 1971. He moved to Brussels as a NATO fellow at the Université Libre de Bruxelles and was appointed to an assistant professorship (1974), an associate professorship (1977) and a full professorship (1980) in physical chemistry at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. In 1985 he returned to The Netherlands to take up a professorship at the Van 't Hoff Laboratory, where he has been ever since. He has received a series of awards during his career, including the Onsager Medal (1999) of the University of Trondheim, the Bakhuys Roozeboom Gold Medal (2003) of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), the ECIS-Rhodia European Colloid and Interface Prize (2003), and the Liquid Matter Prize of the European Physical Society (2008). He was elected a member of KNAW in 1996, was awarded an Academy Chair position in 2005, and has held several visiting lectureships. Henk's work focuses on phase transitions in soft condensed matter, and he has made seminal contributions to both the theoretical and experimental aspects of this field. Here we highlight three major themes running through his work, and a few selected publications. So-called depletion interactions may lead to phase separation in colloid-polymer mixtures, and Henk realised that the partitioning of polymer needs to be taken into account to describe the phase behaviour correctly [1]. Colloidal suspensions can be used as model fluids, with the time- and length-scales involved leading to novel opportunities, notably the direct observation of capillary waves at a

Molecularly imprinted microsphere for chloramphenicol (CAP) with high adsorption capacity and excellent selectivity is prepared by aqueous suspension polymerization, in which chloramphenicol is used as template molecule and ethyl acetate as porogen. The CAP-imprinted microspheres are used as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) stationary phase and packed into stainless steel column (150 mm Χ 4.6 mm i. d.) for selective separation of chloramphenicol. HPLC analysis suggests that chloramphenicol can be distinguished from not only its structural analogs but also other broad-spectrum antibiotic such as erythromycin and tetracycline. In addition, the binding experiments of CAP-imprinted microspheres are carried out in ethanol/water (1:4, V:V), the results indicate that the maximum apparent static binding capacity of molecularly imprinted microspheres is up to 66.64 mg g -1 according to scatchard model

Abstract—This paper describes the specifications for active suspension systems and provides an electromagnetic solution. Electromagnetic actuation and preliminary control strategies are investigated in order to achieve a suspension system with the ability to absorb road irregularities and perform

Suspension plasma spray deposition is utilized to fabricate solid oxide fuel cell cathodes with minimal material decomposition. Adding carbon black as a pore former to the feedstock suspension results in smoother and more porous coatings, but over the range of carbon black concentrations studied, has little impact on the overall symmetrical cell performance. The cathode made with a suspension containing 25 wt% carbon has the highest deposition efficiency and a polarization resistance of 0.062 Ωcm2 at 744 °C. This cathode is tested for 500 h, and it is observed that adding an SDC interlayer between the YSZ electrolyte and the cathode(s) and/or coating the metal substrate with lanthanum chromite decrease the rate of performance degradation.

Full Text Available This paper presents the analysis, design and manufacture of a low cost, low maintenance and long-range prototype of RFID transponder with continuous operability. A prototype of semi-active RFID transponder is produced with a range that can be extended via a DC input to allow all of the readers signal power to be reflected via backscatter modulation. The transponder is powered via solar harvested power which is selected over other energy harvesting technologies as it provides a greater energy density and lower cost. Solar has one major drawback in terms of providing a steady DC voltage in it needed a constant supply of sunlight. A method of power storage is proposed, and the use of a supercapacitor over a rechargeable battery is used as it has a longer lifespan due to higher recharge rates. The prototype underwent a series of experiments in various working environments and proves an effective solution in providing long lasting operability. The paper concludes the use of solar harvesting with supercapacitor storage has potential for further uses in external remote sensors used in the Internet of Things.

A semi-active friction damper (SAFD) can be employed for the seismic protection of structural systems. The effectiveness of an SAFD in absorbing seismic energy is usually superior to that of its passive counterpart, since its slip force can be altered in real time according to structural response and excitation. Most existing SAFDs are controlled by adjusting the clamping force applied on the friction interface. Thus, the implementation of SAFDs in practice requires precision control of the clamping force, which is usually substantially larger than the slip force. This may increase the implementation complexity and cost of SAFDs. To avoid this problem, this study proposes a novel position-controlled SAFD, named the leverage-type controllable friction damper (LCFD). The LCFD system combines a traditional passive friction damper and a leverage mechanism with a movable central pivot. By simply controlling the pivot position, the damping force generated by the LCFD system can be adjusted in real time. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed SAFD, a prototype LCFD was tested by using a shaking table. The test results demonstrate that the equivalent friction force and hysteresis loop of the LCFD can be regulated by controlling the pivot position. By considering 16 ground motions with two different intensities, the adaptive feature of the LCFD for seismic structural control is further demonstrated numerically.

Active suspension systems have advantages on mitigating the effects of vehicle vibration caused by road roughness, which are one of the most important component parts in influencing the performances of vehicles. However, high amount of energy consumption restricts the application of active suspension systems. From the point of energy saving, this paper presents a self-powered criterion of the active suspension system to judge whether a motor-driven suspension can be self-powered or not, and then a motor parameter condition is developed as a reference to design a self-powered suspension. An energy regeneration implementation scheme is subsequently proposed to make the active suspension which has the potential to be self-powered achieve energy-saving target in the real application. In this implementation scheme, operating electric circuits are designed based on different working status of the actuator and power source and it is realizable to accumulate energy from road vibration and supply energy to the actuator by switching corresponding electric circuits. To apply the self-powered suspension criterion and energy regeneration implementation scheme, an active suspension system is designed with a constrained H∞ controller and calculation results indicate that it has the capability to be self-powered. Simulation results show that the performances of the self-powered active suspension are nearly the same as those of the active suspension with an external energy source and can achieve energy regeneration at the same time.

Three-dimensional semi-active vibration control of an inclined sag cable with discrete magnetorheological (MR) dampers is investigated in this paper using the finite difference method (FDM). A modified Dahl model is used to describe the dynamic property of MR damper. The nonlinear equations...

magnetorheological fluid damper . This report provides a record of the research findings from this research project on advanced suspension and control...nonlinear control algorithm that can effectively work with semi-active dampers , such as the magnetorheological (MR) fluid damper . This research...rheological fluid effects). This is because the viscous damping force for high shaft speed becomes excessive and will transmit the terrain-induced

We design and investigate the performance of fuzzy logic-controlled (FLC) active suspensions on a nonlinear vehicle model with four degrees of freedom, without causing any degeneration in suspension working limits. Force actuators were mounted parallel to the suspensions. In this new approach, linear combinations of ...

To improve safety and maximum admissible speed on different operational scenarios, multiobjective optimisation of bogie suspension components of a one-car railway vehicle model is considered. The vehicle model has 50 degrees of freedom and is developed in multibody dynamics software SIMPACK. Track shift force, running stability, and risk of derailment are selected as safety objective functions. The improved maximum admissible speeds of the vehicle on curves are determined based on the track plane accelerations up to 1.5 m/s2. To attenuate the number of design parameters for optimisation and improve the computational efficiency, a global sensitivity analysis is accomplished using the multiplicative dimensional reduction method (M-DRM). A multistep optimisation routine based on genetic algorithm (GA) and MATLAB/SIMPACK co-simulation is executed at three levels. The bogie conventional secondary and primary suspension components are chosen as the design parameters in the first two steps, respectively. In the last step semi-activesuspension is in focus. The input electrical current to magnetorheological yaw dampers is optimised to guarantee an appropriate safety level. Semi-active controllers are also applied and the respective effects on bogie dynamics are explored. The safety Pareto optimised results are compared with those associated with in-service values. The global sensitivity analysis and multistep approach significantly reduced the number of design parameters and improved the computational efficiency of the optimisation. Furthermore, using the optimised values of design parameters give the possibility to run the vehicle up to 13% faster on curves while a satisfactory safety level is guaranteed. The results obtained can be used in Pareto optimisation and active bogie suspension design problems.

This paper aims at an experimental study on the real-time vibration control of bridge structures using a semi-active vibration control method that has been in the spotlight recently. As structures are becoming larger and larger, structural harmful vibration caused by unspecified external forces such as earthquakes, gusts of wind, and collisions has been brought to attention as an important issue. These harmful vibrations can cause not only user anxiety but also severe structural damage or even complete failure of structures. Therefore, in view of structural safety and economical long-term maintenance, real-time control technology of the harmful structural vibration is urgently required. In this paper, a laboratory-scale model of a cable-stayed bridge was built, and a shear-type MR damper and a semi-active vibration control algorithm (Lyapunov and clipped optimal) were applied for the control of harmful vibration of the model bridge, in real time. On the basis of the test results, each semi-active control algorithm was verified quantitatively. (papers)

The goal of the present research is to investigate the feasibility of incorporating a liquid spring in a semi-activesuspension system for use in heavy off-road vehicles. A compact compressible magneto-rheological (MR) fluid damper–liquid spring (CMRFD–LS) with high spring rate is designed, developed and tested. Compressible MR fluids with liquid spring and variable damping characteristics are used. These fluids can offer unique functions in reducing the volume/weight of vehicle struts and improving vehicle dynamic stability and safety. The proposed device consists of a cylinder and piston–rod arrangement with an internal annular MR fluid valve. The internal pressures in the chambers on either side of the piston develop the spring force, while the pressure difference across the MR valve produces the damping force, when the fluid flows through the MR valve. Harmonic characterization of the CMRFD–LS is performed and the force–displacement results are presented. A fluid-mechanics based model is also developed to predict the performance of the system at different operating conditions and compared to the experimental results. Good agreement between the experimental results and theoretical predictions has been achieved. (paper)

The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) is an amphibious vehicle designed to operate through harsh conditions and at much higher speeds than its predecessors. These unique capabilities and broadly varying operational conditions lead to a complex design and human factors scenario for the forward seating positions that cannot be solved using conventional passive seat suspension systems. Injurious shock loads transmitted to the occupants when traversing over water in high sea states and/or at high speeds, as well as harmful shock and vibration transmitted to the occupants when the vehicle is travelling over land, pose a threat to occupant health and significantly limit mission duration. In this study, a semi-active magnetorheological (MR) seat suspension is developed which adapts to broadly varying operational conditions, as well as occupant weight, to provide optimal protection of EFV occupants. It is shown that this MR seat suspension system will reduce the shock and vibration transmitted to the occupant by up to 33% and 65%, respectively, as compared to the existing passive suspension.

The Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) is an amphibious vehicle designed to operate through harsh conditions and at much higher speeds than its predecessors. These unique capabilities and broadly varying operational conditions lead to a complex design and human factors scenario for the forward seating positions that cannot be solved using conventional passive seat suspension systems. Injurious shock loads transmitted to the occupants when traversing over water in high sea states and/or at high speeds, as well as harmful shock and vibration transmitted to the occupants when the vehicle is travelling over land, pose a threat to occupant health and significantly limit mission duration. In this study, a semi-active magnetorheological (MR) seat suspension is developed which adapts to broadly varying operational conditions, as well as occupant weight, to provide optimal protection of EFV occupants. It is shown that this MR seat suspension system will reduce the shock and vibration transmitted to the occupant by up to 33% and 65%, respectively, as compared to the existing passive suspension.

This presentation discussed the precautions that should be taken to avoid falls from wind turbines or transmission towers. Suspension trauma was explained by a medical doctor in terms of physiology and the body's normal circulation and the elements that disturb normal physiology when in suspension. The trauma occurs following a fall, which carries the risk of 1or more disorders, such as massive hemorrhage, high cardiac pulse, and constriction of blood vessels. Nausea, vertigo, cardiac arrhythmia and sweating occur 15 to 20 minutes following the fall. The presentation emphasized the importance of having qualified personnel at the site and wearing proper harnesses and equipment that supports the neck. figs.

Chassis performance development is a major difficulty in vehicle research and development, which is the main factor restricting the independent development of vehicles in China. These years, through a large number of studies, chassis engineers have found that the suspension K&C characteristics as a quasi-static characteristic of the suspension provides a technical route for the suspensionperformance R&D, and the suspension K&C test has become an important means of vehicle benchmarking, optimization and verification. However, the research on suspension K&C test is less in china, and the test conditions and setting requirements vary greatly from OEM to OEM. In this paper, the influence of different settings on the characteristics of the suspension is obtained through experiments, and the causes of the differences are analyzed; in order to fully reflect the suspension characteristics, the author recommends the appropriate test case and settings.

Full Text Available An active suspension system is important in meeting the requirements of the ride comfort and handling stability for vehicles. In this work, a nonlinear model of active suspension system and a corresponding nonlinear robust predictive sliding mode control are established for the control problem of active suspension. Firstly, a seven-degree-of-freedom active suspension model is established considering the nonlinear effects of springs and dampers; and secondly, the dynamic model is expanded in the time domain, and the corresponding predictive sliding mode control is established. The uncertainties in the controller are approximated by the fuzzy logic system, and the adaptive controller reduces the approximation error to increase the robustness of the control system. Finally, the simulation results show that the ride comfort and handling stability performance of the active suspension system is better than that of the passive suspension system and the Skyhook active suspension. Thus, the system can obviously improve the shock absorption performance of vehicles.

This body of research expands the design space of semi-active energy absorbers for shock isolation and crash safety by investigating and characterizing magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) at high shear rates ( > 25,000 1/s) under shear and mixed-mode operation. Magnetorheological energy absorbers (MREAs) work well as adaptive isolators due to their ability to quickly and controllably adjust to changes in system mass or impact speed while providing fail-safe operation. However, typical linear stroking MREAs using pressure-driven flows have been shown to exhibit reduced controllability as impact speed (shear rate) increases. The objective of this work is to develop MREAs that improve controllability at high shear rates by using pure shear and mixed shear-squeeze modes of operation, and to present the fundamental theory and models of MR fluids under these conditions. A proof of concept instrument verified that the MR effect persists in shear mode devices at shear rates corresponding to low speed impacts. This instrument, a concentric cylinder Searle cell magnetorheometer, was then used to characterize three commercially available MRFs across a wide range of shear rates, applied magnetic fields, and temperatures. Characterization results are presented both as flow curves according to established practice, and as an alternate nondimensionalized analysis based on Mason number. The Mason number plots show that, with appropriate correction coefficients for operating temperature, the varied flow curve data can be collapsed to a single master curve. This work represents the first shear mode characterization of MRFs at shear rates over 10 times greater than available with commercial rheometers, as well as the first validation of Mason number analysis to high shear rate flows in MRFs. Using the results from the magnetorheometer, a full scale rotary vane MREA was developed as part of the Lightweight Magnetorheological Energy Absorber System (LMEAS) for an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter

The purpose of this study was to determine the pharmaceutical acceptability and chemical stability of naratriptan hydrochloride in three extemporaneously compounded suspension formulations. The naratriptan-hydrochloride oral suspensions were prepared from 2.5-mg commercial tablets yielding a nominal naratriptan concentration of 0.5 mg/mL. The suspension vehicles selected for testing were Syrpalta, an equal-parts mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet, and an equal-parts mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet SF. The tablets were crushed and thoroughly triturated to a fine powder using a porcelain mortar and pestle. The powder was incorporated into a portion of the Syrpalta or Ora-Plus suspension vehicle and mixed until homogeneous. The mixtures were then brought to volume with Syrpalta, Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF, as appropriate. The suspensions were packaged in amber, plastic, screw-cap prescription bottles and stored at 23 deg C for seven days and 4 deg C for 90 days. An adequate suspension was never achieved in Syrpalta. The crushed-tablet powder did not produce a uniformly dispersed mixture and exhibited clumping and a high rate of sedimentation. A distinct layer of the solid tablet material settled immediately after shaking. Over the next four hours, a densely packed, yellow, caked layer formed at the bottom of the containers, making resuspension difficult. During storage, the caking became worse. Chemical analysis was not performed. The Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF suspensions had a slight greenish cast and were resuspended without difficulty by shaking for approximately ten seconds, yielding easily poured and homogeneous mixtures throughout the study. Visible settling and layering did not begin for four hours with the Ora-Sweet suspension and 24 hours for the Ora-Sweet SF suspension. High pressure liquid chromatographic analysis found that the naratriptan concentration in both suspension-vehicle combinations exhibited little or no loss for seven days at 23

The desirable features of cells in suspension will necessarily be dependent upon the use for which the cells were prepared. Adequate cell yield or recovery is defined by the measurement to be performed. Retention of cellular morphology is important for microscopic identification of cell types in a heterogenous cell suspension, and may be used to determine whether the cells in suspension are representative of those in the tumor in situ. Different dispersal protocols may yield cells with different degrees of clonogenicity, as well as altered biochemical features, such as loss of cellular proteins, surface antigens, nucleotide pools, etc. The quality of the cell suspension can be judged by the degree of cell clumping and level of cellular debris, both of which impact on flow cytometric measurements and studies in which the number of cells be known accurately. Finally, if the data measured on the cells in suspension are to be extrapolated to phenomena occurring in the tumor in situ, it is desirable that the cells in suspension are representative of those in the solid tumor in vivo. This report compares characteristics of tumor cell suspensions obtained by different types of selected disaggregation methods. 33 refs., 2 figs., 4 tabs

The applications of semi-active damper employing magnetorheological (MR) fluids keep increasing in fulfilling the demand to control undesired vibration effect. The aim of this study is to introduce the new design of damper for Malaysian vehicle model as well to evaluate its effectiveness in promoting comfort. The vibration isolation performance of the OEM damper featuring MR fluid was analysed physically under real road profile excitation experimentally. An experiment using quarter car rig suspension and LMS SCADAS Mobile was conducted to demonstrate the influence of current in controlling the characteristics of MR fluid in alter the damping behaviour under 5 cm bump impact. Subsequently, the displacement values were measured with respect to time. The new design OEM damper featuring MR fluid was validated by comparing the data with original equipment manufacturer (OEM) passive damper results under the same approach of testing. Comparison of numerical data of the new design OEM damper shown that it can reduce the excitation amplitude up to 40% compared to those obtained by OEM passive damper. Finally, the new design OEM damper featuring MR fluid has effectively isolated the disturbance from the road profile and control the output force.

Full Text Available The authors have studied the rheological properties of clay suspensions in silicone oil, where clay surfaces were modified with three different types of surfactants. Dynamic oscillation measurements showed a plateau-like behavior for all...

Hydropneumatic suspensions systems combine the excellent properties of gas springs with the favourable damping properties of hydraulic fluids. The advantages of these systems are particularly appropriate for automotive applications, such as passenger cars, trucks and agricultural equipment. In this book, Dr. Bauer provides an extensive overview of hydropneumatic suspension systems. Starting with a comparison of different types of suspension systems, the author subsequently describes the theoretical background associated with spring and damping characteristics of hydropneumatic systems and furthermore explains the design of the most important system components. Additionally he gives an overview of level control systems and various special functions. Finally the technology is illustrated by design examples and the outlook for future hydropneumatic suspensions is discussed. (orig.)

... Suspension Trauma/Orthostatic Intolerance Safety and Health Information Bulletin SHIB 03-24-2004, updated 2011 This Safety ... the harness, the environmental conditions, and the worker's psychological state all may increase the onset and severity ...

Full Text Available Mistical suspension, silence, time, absolute, ontology, ineffability, aletheiaIn the mystical ecstasy there is a sensorial and intellectual suspension when contemplating the absolute, the ontological Being. Silence is not only significant: it is revealing. The greatest expression of experience inner silence . The word is insufficient when the ontological reality is revealed. Revelation or truth , the Greek concept of aletheia, takes on greater significance in that transcendental experience. It is also suspended phenomenological time and remains eternity open.

CERN - Globe of Science and Innovation 20 and 21 October Acrobatics, mime, a cappella singing, projections of images, a magical setting... a host of different tools of a grandeur matching that of the Universe they relate. A camera makes a massive zoom out to reveal the multiple dimensions of Nature. Freeze the frame: half way between the infinitesimally small and the infinitesimally large, a man suspends his everyday life (hence the title "Point de Suspension", which refers to the three dots at the end of an uncompleted sentence) to take a glimpse of the place he occupies in the great history of the Universe. An unusual perspective on what it means to be a human being... This spectacle in the Globe of Science and Innovation, specially created by the Miméscope* company for the official ceremony marking CERN's fiftieth anniversary, is a gift from the Government of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, which also wishes to share this moment of wonder with the local population. There will be three performances for...

This paper is focused on the control problems related to semi-active tuned mass dampers (TMDs) used to reduce harmonic vibrations, specially involving civil structures. A simplified version of the phase control law is derived and its effectiveness is investigated and evaluated. The objective is to improve the functioning of control systems of this type by simplifying the measurement process and reducing the number of variables involved, making the control system more feasible and reliable. Because the control law is of ON/OFF type, combined with appropriate trigger conditions, the activity of the actuation system may be significantly reduced, which may be of few seconds a day in many practical cases, increasing the durability of the device and reducing its maintenance. Moreover, due to the ability of the control system to command the motion of the inertial mass, the semi-active TMD is relatively insensitive to its initial tuning, resulting in the capability of self-tuning and in the possibility of controlling several vibration modes of a structure over a significant broadband frequency. (paper)

Full Text Available Based on the observations in the past earthquake events, the traction elevators in buildings are known to be vulnerable to earthquake induced ground motions. Among several components of an elevator, the counterweight being heaviest is also known to be more susceptible than others. The inertial effects of the counterweight can overstress the guide rails on which it moves. Here we investigate to use the well-known acceleration feedback-based active and semi-active control methods to reduce stresses in the rails. The only way a control action can be applied to a moving counterweight-rail system is through a mass damper placed in the plane of the counterweight. For this, a part of the counterweight mass can be configured as a mass damper attached to a small actuator for an active scheme or to a magneto-rheological damper for a semi-active scheme. A comprehensive numerical study is conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed configuration of control system. It is observed that the two control schemes are effective in reducing the stress response by about 20 to 25% and improve the system fragility over a good range of seismic intensities.

To reduce the risk of injury to an infant in an in-car crib (or in a child safety bed) collision shock during a car crash, it is necessary to maintain a constant force acting on the crib below a certain allowable value. To realize this objective, we propose a semi-active in-car crib system with the joint application of regular and inverted pendulum mechanisms. The arms of the proposed crib system support the crib like a pendulum while the pendulum system itself is supported like an inverted pendulum by the arms. In addition, the friction torque of each arm is controlled using a brake mechanism that enables the proposed in-car crib to decrease the acceleration of the crib gradually and maintain it around the target value. This system not only reduces the impulsive force but also transfers the force to the infant's back using a spin control system, i.e., the impulse force acts is made to act perpendicularly on the crib. The spin control system was developed in our previous work. This work focuses on the acceleration control system. A semi-active control law with acceleration feedback is introduced, and the effectiveness of the system is demonstrated using numerical simulation and model experiment.

To reduce the risk of injury to an infant in an in-car crib (or in a child safety bed) collision shock during a car crash, it is necessary to maintain a constant force acting on the crib below a certain allowable value. To realize this objective, we propose a semi-active in-car crib system with the joint application of regular and inverted pendulum mechanisms. The arms of the proposed crib system support the crib like a pendulum while the pendulum system itself is supported like an inverted pendulum by the arms. In addition, the friction torque of each arm is controlled using a brake mechanism that enables the proposed in-car crib to decrease the acceleration of the crib gradually and maintain it around the target value. This system not only reduces the impulsive force but also transfers the force to the infant's back using a spin control system, i.e., the impulse force acts is made to act perpendicularly on the crib. The spin control system was developed in our previous work. This work focuses on the acceleration control system. A semi-active control law with acceleration feedback is introduced, and the effectiveness of the system is demonstrated using numerical simulation and model experiment. (paper)

Full Text Available In this study an effective method was developed to assay erythromycin ethylsuccinate for an oral suspension dosage form. The chromatographic separation was achieved on an X-Terra™ C18 analytical column. A mixture of acetonitrile–ammonium dihydrogen phosphate buffer (0.025 mol L-1 (60:40, V/V (pH 7.0 was used as the mobile phase, effluent flow rate monitored at 1.0 mL min−1, and UV detection at 205 nm. In forced degradation studies, the effects of acid, base, oxidation, UV light and temperature were investigated showing no interference in the peak of drug. The proposed method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, robustness, precision and accuracy. The method was linear at concentrations ranging from 400 to 600 μg mL−1, precise (intra- and inter-day relative standard deviations <0.65, accurate (mean recovery; 99.5%. The impurities and degradation products of erythromycin ethylsuccinate were selectively determined with good resolution in both the raw material and the final suspension forms. The method could be useful for both routine analytical and quality control assays of erythromycin ethylsuccinate in commercial powder for an oral suspension dosage form and it could be a very powerful tool to investigate the chemical stability of erythromycin ethylsuccinate.

This paper focuses on the influence of suspension properties on the manufacturing of coatings by suspension plasma spraying (SPS). For this purpose, alumina suspensions were formulated with two different liquid phases: water and ethanol. Suspensions were atomized with a twin-fluid nozzle and injected in an atmospheric plasma jet. Suspension injection was optimized thanks to shadowgraphy observations and drop size distribution measurements performed by laser diffraction. In-flight particle velocities were evaluated by particle image velocimetry. In addition, splats were collected on glass substrates, with the same conditions as the ones used during the spray process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and profilometry analyses were then performed to observe the splat morphology and thus to get information on plasma / suspension interactions, such as particle agglomeration. Finally, coatings were manufactured, characterized by SEM and compared to each other.

In order to identify the state of magnetic suspension technology in such areas as rotating systems, pointing of experiments or subsystems, payload isolation, and superconducting materials, a workshop on Magnetic Suspension Technology was held at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, on 2-4 Feb. 1988. The workshop included five technical sessions in which a total of 24 papers were presented. The technical sessions covered the areas of pointing, isolation, and measurement, rotating systems, modeling and control, and superconductors. A list of attendees is provided. Separate abstracts have been prepared for articles from this report

The design of a semi-active (SA) control system addressed to mitigate wind induced structural demand to high wind turbine towers is discussed herein. Actually, the remarkable growth in height of wind turbines in the last decades, for a higher production of electricity, makes this issue pressing....../20 scale model of a real, one hundred meters tall wind turbine has been assumed as case study for shaking table tests. A special control algorithm has been purposely designed to drive MR dampers. Starting from the results of preliminary laboratory tests, a finite element model of such structure has been...... calibrated so as to develop several numerical simulations addressed to calibrate the controller, i.e., to achieve as much as possible different, even conflicting, structural goals. The results are definitely encouraging, since the best configuration of the controller leaded to about 80% of reduction of base...

The intention of this paper is to present the results of a novel smart semi-active tuned mass damper (SA-TMD), which mitigates unwanted loads for both fixed-bottom and floating offshore wind systems. The paper will focus on the most challenging water depths for both fixed-bottom and floating systems. A close to 38m Monopile and 55m Tension Leg Platform (TLP) will be considered. A technical development and trade-off analysis will be presented comparing the new system with existing passive non-linear TMD (N-TMD) technology and semi-active. TheSATMD works passively and activates itself with low power source under unwanted dynamic loading in less than 60msec. It is composed of both variable stiffness and damping elements coupled to a central pendulum mass. The analysis has been done numerically in both FAST(NREL) and Orcaflex (Orcina), and integrated in the Wind Turbine system employing CAD/CAE. The results of this work will pave the way for experimental testing to complete the technology qualification process. The load reductions under extreme and fatigue cases reach up significant levels at tower base, consequently reducing LCOE for fixed-bottom to floating wind solutions. The nacelle acceleration is reduced substantially under severe random wind and sea states, reducing the risks of failure of electromechanical components and blades at the rotor nacelle assembly. The SA-TMD system isa new technology that has not been applied previously in wind solutions. Structural damping devices aim to increase offshore wind turbine system robustness and reliability, which eases multiple substructures installations and global stability.

The paper describes a (controller) design problem in the field of suspension systems for transport vehicles. A ten degrees-of-freedom model for a tractor-semitrailer vehicle is presented, using parameters derived from a real vehicle, which should be used for design and verification purposes. Road

This paper deals with the results of a bibliographic survey of energy dissipation devices which could be adapted for overhead cranes. The principle of passive devices using friction, yielding steel systems of viscous and viscoelastic systems are remembered. An active control system, which needs a minimum of external control energy is also presented. The application to overhead cranes which have a strong non linear behaviour under strong seismic motion (sliding between rails and wheels, local yielding and damage) is further discussed. The first results of a numerical study in progress are likewise purposed. The criterion of selection of the devices turn on the performance, the robustness and the reliability. The behaviour in the presence of non linearities, the sensitivity to the variations of the vibratory characteristics, and lastly the sensitivity to the response delay of the active controller are taken into account. (authors). 14 refs., 4 figs

amplitude is located in a certain range for the case OE2o1/3, the original zero out-of-plane vibration of the cable should be changed to the stable in-plane and out-of-plane coupled oscillation by using the optimal passive viscous damper or the MR damper with the SA-1 rule. It is also observed...... to the first in-plane eigenmode of the cable. The numerical results show that the MR damper with the SA-1 rule and the optimal viscous damper perform similarly to mitigate the vibration of the cable under axial periodic support motion, and, in some cases, the SA-2 rule is more favourable in suppressing...... the cable vibration compared with the SA-1 rule. In the final analysis, both the MR damper and the viscous damper can effectively mitigate the out-of-plane component of the cable, while having little effect on the reduction of the in-plane response in most cases. Furthermore, when the support motion...

We consider a model non-Newtonian fluid consisting of a suspension of deformable particles in a Newtonian solvent. Einstein showed in his pioneering work that the relative increase in effective viscosity is a linear function of the particle volume fraction for dilute suspensions of rigid particles. Inertia has been shown to introduce deviations from the behaviour predicted by the different empirical fits, an effect that can be related to an increase of the effective volume fraction. We here focus on the effect of elasticity, i.e. visco-elastic deformable particles. To tackle the problem at hand, we perform three-dimensional Direct Numerical Simulation of a plane Couette flow with a suspension of neutrally buoyant deformable viscous hyper-elastic particles. We show that elasticity produces a shear-thinning effect in elastic suspensions (in comparison to rigid ones) and that it can be understood in terms of a reduction of the effective volume fraction of the suspension. The deformation modifies the particle motion reducing the level of mutual interaction. Normal stress differences will also be considered. European Research Council, Grant No. ERC-2013-CoG- 616186, TRITOS; SNIC (the Swedish National Infrastructure for Computing).

Full Text Available In order to design a comfortable-oriented vehicle suspension structure, the network synthesis method was utilized to transfer the problem into solving a timing robust control problem and determine the structure of “inerter–spring–damper” suspension. Bilinear Matrix Inequality was utilized to obtain the timing transfer function. Then, the transfer function of suspension system can be physically implemented by passive elements such as spring, damper, and inerter. By analyzing the sensitivity and quantum genetic algorithm, the optimized parameters of inerter–spring–damper suspension were determined. A quarter-car model was established. The performance of the inerter–spring–damper suspension was verified under random input. The simulation results manifested that the dynamic performance of the proposed suspension was enhanced in contrast with traditional suspension. The root mean square of vehicle body acceleration decreases by 18.9%. The inerter–spring–damper suspension can inhibit the vertical vibration within the frequency of 1–3 Hz effectively and enhance the performance of ride comfort significantly.

Full Text Available The heavy vehicle brings large dynamic loads to the road surface, which would reduce vehicle ride comfort and shorten road service life. The structure characteristic of heavy vehicle suspension has a significant impact on vehicle performance. Based on the D'Alembert principle, the dynamics models of independent and integral balanced suspension are proposed considering mass and inertia of balancing rod. The sprung mass acceleration and the tire dynamic force for two kinds of balanced suspension and the traditional quarter vehicle model are compared in frequency-domain and time-domain respectively. It is concluded that a quarter vehicle model simplified for balanced suspension could be used to evaluate the ride comfort of vehicle well, but it has some limitations in assessing the vehicle road-friendliness. Then, the sprung mass acceleration and the road damage coefficients are also analyzed under different vehicle design and running parameters at detail. Some conclusions are obtained: low suspension stiffness, high suspension damping and low tire stiffness are all favorable to improve vehicle performance; there is a saturation range of suspension damping enhancing vehicle performance; improving the road surface roughness and avoiding the no-load running are two effective methods to accomplish the better ride comfort and road-friendliness. The suspension stiffness and damping parameters are chosen for optimal parameters matching of road friendliness based on the approximation optimization method.

The objective of the project is to develop a new ironmaking technology based on hydrogen and fine iron oxide concentrates in a suspension reduction process. The ultimate objective of the new technology is to replace the blast furnace and to drastically reduce CO2 emissions in the steel industry. The goals of this phase of development are; the performance of detailed material and energy balances, thermochemical and equilibrium calculations for sulfur and phosphorus impurities, the determination of the complete kinetics of hydrogen reduction and bench-scale testing of the suspension reduction process using a large laboratory flash reactor.

The research of the variants of the suspension of the traction electric motor of diesel locomotives was performed. It was found that the method of designing the suspension does not take into consideration the possible changes of the characteristics of the parts in operation conditions. Variants of the suspension design were proposed and patented, which provide the work reliability despite the operating conditions.

A significant amount of energy induced by road unevenness and vehicle roll and pitch motions is usually dissipated by conventional shock-absorbers. In this paper, a novel active multiobjective ? control design methodology is proposed which explicitly includes, besides the usual control objectives on ride comfort, road handling and suspension stroke, the amount of energy to be harvested as an additional, though conflicting, control objective and allows the designer to directly trade-off among them depending on the application. An electromechanical regenerative suspension system is considered where the viscous damper is replaced by a linear electrical motor which is actively governed. It is shown that the proposed control law is able to achieve remarkable improvements on the amount of the harvested energy with respect to passive or semi-active control strategies while maintaining the other objectives at acceptable levels. Simulative studies undertaken via CarSim are also reported that confirm the potentiality and flexibility of the proposed control design strategy.

Full Text Available A fully active electro-hydraulic and passive automotive quarter car suspensions with their experimental test-rigs are designed and implemented. Investigation of the active performance compared against the passive is performed experimentally and numerically utilizing SIMULINK's Simscape library. Both systems are modeled as single-degree-of-freedom in order to simplify the validation process. Economic considerations were considered during the rig's implementation. The rig consists of two identical platforms fixed side by side allowing testing two independent suspensions simultaneously. Position sensors for sprung and unsprung masses on both platforms are installed. The road input is introduced by a cam and a roller follower mechanism driven by 1.12 kW single phase induction motor with speed reduction assembly. The active hydraulic cylinder was the most viable choice due to its high power-to-weight ratio. The active control is of the proportional-integral-differential (PID type. Though this technique is quite simple and not new, yet the emphasis of this paper is the engineering, design and implementation of the experimental setup and controller. A successful validation process is performed. Ride comfort significantly improved with active suspension, as shown by the results; 24.8% sprung mass vibration attenuation is achieved. The details of the developed system with the analytical and experimental results are presented. Keywords: Active suspension, Passive suspension, Servo, Hydraulic, Control, PID

A minimax stochastic optimal semi-active control strategy for stochastically excited quasi-integrable Hamiltonian systems with parametric uncertainty by using magneto-rheological (MR) dampers is proposed. Firstly, the control problem is formulated as an n-degree-of-freedom (DOF) controlled, uncer...

Administrative license revocation (ALR) laws, which provide that the license of a driver with a blood alcohol concentration at or over the illegal limit is subject to an immediate suspension by the state department of motor vehicles, are an example of a traffic law in which the sanction rapidly follows the offense. The power of ALR laws has been attributed to how swiftly the sanction is applied, but does the length of suspension matter? Our objectives were to (a) determine the relationship of the ALR suspension length to the prevalence of drinking drivers relative to sober drivers in fatal crashes and (b) estimate the extent to which the relationship is associated to the general deterrent effect compared to the specific deterrent effect of the law. Data comparing the impact of ALR law implementation and ALR law suspension periods were analyzed using structural equation modeling techniques on the ratio of drinking drivers to nondrinking drivers in fatal crashes from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). States with an ALR law with a short suspension period (1-30 days) had a significantly lower drinking driver ratio than states with no ALR law. States with a suspension period of 91-180 days had significantly lower ratios than states with shorter suspension periods, while the three states with suspension lengths of 181 days or longer had significantly lower ratios than states with shorter suspension periods. The implementation of any ALR law was associated with a 13.1% decrease in the drinking/nondrinking driver fatal crash ratio but only a 1.8% decrease in the intoxicated/nonintoxicated fatal crash ratio. The ALR laws and suspension lengths had a significant general deterrent effect, but no specific deterrent effect. States might want to keep (or adopt) ALR laws for their general deterrent effects and pursue alternatives for specific deterrent effects. States with short ALR suspension periods should consider lengthening them to 91 days or longer.

In recent years, many research works from institutions that participated in Formula SAE had highlighted on suspension systems. The aim is to improve the system in term of performance and robustness. However, every suspension system for a racing car is tailored to the car itself. Thus, this paper proposes a new design for front suspension system for UniART FSAE car. The new design was than being compared to the previous suspension system for enhancement. The analysis covered in this paper based on several conditions such as braking, cornering and bumping condition and was carried out using finite element analysis. Each main component for the suspension system such as lower arm, upper arm and knuckle has been analysed in term of strength and performance. From the results, the proposed new design of the suspension system has improved in term of strength and performance compared to the previous suspension system.

This paper presents the characteristic model of the wishbone suspension system using the quarter car model approach. Suspension system in an automobile provides vehicle control and passenger comfort by providing isolation from road disturbances. This makes it essential that the detailed behavior of suspension should be known to optimize the performance. A kinetic study is performed using multi body system (MBS) analysis. The dirt road profile is considered as an applied loading. The spring constant, damping coefficient and sprung mass are studied on the performance of the suspension system. It can be observed that the spring constant is inversely related with time required to return to initial position and the amount of deformations. The damping ratio affects the suppression of spring oscillations, beyond a certain limit damping ration has the negligible effect. Sprung mass effected the equilibrium position of the suspension system with a small effect on its oscillation behavior. It is shown that the spring constant, damping ratio and sprung mass are significant parameters to design the suspension system. This study is essential for complete understanding of working of the suspension system and a future study with real geometries.

Full Text Available Electromagnetic actuated active suspension benefits active control and energy harvesting from vibration at the same time. However, the rotary type electromagnetic actuated active suspension introduces a significant extra mass on the unsprung mass due to the inertia of the rotating components of the actuator. The magnitude of the introduced unsprung mass is studied based on a gearbox type actuator and a ball screw type actuator. The geometry of the suspension and the actuator also influence the equivalent unsprung mass significantly. The suspensionperformance simulation or control logic derived should take this equivalent unsprung mass into account. Besides, an extra force should be compensated due to the nonlinear features of the suspension structure and it is studied. The active force of the actuator should compensate this extra force. The discovery of this paper provides a fundamental for evaluating the rotary type electromagnetic actuated active suspensionperformance and control strategy derived as well as controlling the electromagnetic actuated active suspension more precisely.

Full Text Available The goal of this research is to achieve close to real-time dynamics performance for allowing auto-pilot in-the-loop testing of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV for urban as well as off-road scenarios. The overall vehicle dynamics performance is governed by the multibody dynamics model for the vehicle, the wheel/terrain interaction dynamics and the onboard control system. The topic of this paper is the development of computationally efficient and accurate dynamics model for ground vehicles with complex suspension dynamics. A challenge is that typical vehicle suspensions involve closed-chain loops which require expensive DAE integration techniques. In this paper, we illustrate the use the alternative constraint embedding technique to reduce the cost and improve the accuracy of the dynamics model for the vehicle.

The magnetorheological suspension (MRS) brake is of the monoblock type. The main part of the electromagnetic brake is an electromagnet, between whose poles two MRS disks are placed. For distances between disks of 0.65x10 -3 m±10%, revolutions of the electric motor, coupled to the electromagnetic brake, ranging between 200 and 1600 rev/min and braking powers of up to 85 W, there are no differences in revolutions between the disks of the electromagnetic brake. For fixed revolutions of the electric motor, the revolution of the parallel disk can be modified continuously by means of the intensity of the magnetic field. In all cases, the quantity of MRS is of 0.35x10 -3 kg

Full Text Available Transient increase in heart rate and mean arterial pressure commonly occur during manipulation of the airway via direct laryngoscopy. This phenomenon is understood to be due to a sympathetic nervous system reflex causing an increase in plasma catecholamines. Rarely, severe bradycardia and possible asystole can occur following laryngoscopy. One previous report described asystole during suspension laryngoscopy after uneventful direct laryngoscopy. Here we report a case of asystole occurring at the time of reinsertion and cuff inflation of an endotracheal tube in a patient who had been hemodynamically stable during initial direct laryngoscopy and the ensuing suspension laryngoscopy. The asystole was immediately recognized and successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed with the patient returning to baseline sinus rhythm. Cardiac arrest following laryngoscopy is rare. This case highlights the importance of continued vigilance even after the initial manipulations of the airway by both direct laryngoscopy and suspension laryngoscopy are to be performed. Identifying patients who may benefit from premedication with a vagolytic drug may prevent adversity. Preoperative heart rate analysis can identify patients with strong vagal tone.

We present a kinetic model for flowing active suspensions and analyze the behavior of a suspension subjected to a weak steady shear. Asymptotic solutions are sought in Deborah number expansions. At the leading order, we explore the steady states and perform their stability analysis. We predict the rheology of active systems including an activity thickening or thinning behavior of the apparent viscosity and a negative apparent viscosity depending on the particle type, flow alignment, and the anchoring conditions, which can be tested on bacterial suspensions. We find remarkable dualities that show that flow-aligning rodlike contractile (extensile) particles are dynamically and rheologically equivalent to flow-aligning discoid extensile (contractile) particles for both tangential and homeotropic anchoring conditions. Another key prediction of this work is the role of the concentration of active suspensions in controlling the rheological behavior: the apparent viscosity may decrease with the increase of the concentration.

We study the rheology of a sheared 2D suspension of non-Brownian disks in presence of walls. Although, it is of course possible today with modern computers and powerful algorithms to perform direct numerical simulations that fully account for multiparticle 3D interactions, the analysis of the simple case of a 2D suspension, provides valuable insights and helps to understand 3D results. For instance, we examine the role of particle-wall and particle-particle interactions in determining the rheology of confined sheared suspensions. In addition we evaluate the intrinsic viscosity as well as the contribution of hydrodynamic interactions to the dissipation as a function of a wide range of confinements. Thanks to the direct visualisation of the whole 2D Stokes flow, we are able to give a clear interpretation about the rheology of semi-dilute confined suspensions.

CERN - Globe of Science and Innovation 20 and 21 October Acrobatics, mime, a cappella singing, projections of images, a magical setting... a host of different tools of a grandeur matching that of the Universe they relate. A camera makes a massive zoom out to reveal the multiple dimensions of Nature. Freeze the frame: half way between the infinitesimally small and the infinitesimally large, a man suspends his everyday life (hence the title "Point de Suspension", which refers to the three dots at the end of an uncompleted sentence) to take a glimpse of the place he occupies in the great history of the Universe. An unusual perspective on what it means to be a human being... This wondrous show in the Globe of Science and Innovation, specially created by the Miméscope* company for the official ceremony marking CERN's fiftieth anniversary, is a gift from the Government of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, which also wishes to share this moment of wonder with the local population. There will be three perfo...

http://www.cern.ch/cern50/ CERN - Globe of Science and Innovation 20 and 21 October Acrobatics, mime, a cappella singing, projections of images, a magical setting... a host of different tools of a grandeur matching that of the Universe they relate. A camera makes a massive zoom out to reveal the multiple dimensions of Nature. Freeze the frame: half way between the infinitesimally small and the infinitesimally large, a man suspends his everyday life (hence the title "Point de Suspension", which refers to the three dots at the end of an uncompleted sentence) to take a glimpse of the place he occupies in the great history of the Universe. An unusual perspective on what it means to be a human being... This wondrous show in the Globe of Science and Innovation, specially created by the Miméscope* company for the official ceremony marking CERN's fiftieth anniversary, is a gift from the Government of the Republic and Canton of Geneva, which also wishes to share this moment of wonder with the local pop...

The stability of allopurinol, azathioprine, chlorambucil, melphalan, mercaptopurine, and thioguanine each in an extemporaneously prepared suspension was studied. Tablets of each drug were crushed, mixed with a suspending agent, and brought to a final volume of 10, 15, or 20 ml with a 2:1 mixture of simple syrup and wild cherry syrup. Suspensions were prepared in the following concentrations: allopurinol (20 mg/ml), azathioprine (50 mg/ml), chlorambucil (2 mg/ml), melphalan (2 mg/ml), mercaptopurine (50 mg/ml), and thioguanine (40 mg/ml). Using high-performance liquid chromatography or ultraviolet scans, duplicate assays were performed on each suspension periodically during storage for up to 84 days at ambient room temperature or 5 degrees C. The time required for the suspensions to drop below 90% of labeled strength was used as an indicator of drug stability. Allopurinol and azathioprine were stable for at least 56 days at room temperature and at 5 degrees C. Chlorambucil decomposed rapidly at room temperature but was stable for seven days when stored at 5 degrees C. Melphalan suspensions did not meet the stated criteria for stability even at the time of initial assay. Mercaptopurine and thioguanine were stable for 14 and 84 days, respectively, at room temperature; at 5 degrees C, assay values dropped below those obtained at room temperature. In the suspension formulation tested, allopurinol, azathioprine, mercaptopurine, and thioguanine are stable for at least 14 days at room temperature; chlorambucil suspensions should be refrigerated and discarded after seven days. Melphalan decomposes too rapidly to make this suspension formulation feasible for extemporaneous compounding.

The article deals with assessment of railway wagon suspension characteristics. The essential characteristics of a suspension are represented by the stiffness constants of the equivalent springs and the eigen frequencies of the oscillating movements in reference to the main central inertia axes of a vehicle. The premise of the experimental determination of these characteristic is the knowledge of the gravity center position and the knowledge of the main central inertia moments of the vehicle frame. The vehicle frame performs the general spatial movement when the vehicle moves. An analysis of the frame movement generally arises from Euler's equations which are commonly used for the description of the spherical movement. This solution is difficult and it can be simplified by applying the specific assumptions. The eigen frequencies solutions and solutions of the suspension stiffness are presented in the article. The solutions are applied on the railway and road vehicles with the simplifying conditions. A new method which assessed the characteristics is described in the article.

A quantitative observational laboratory study was conducted to characterize and classify core training exercises executed in a suspension modality on the base of muscle activation. In a prospective single-group repeated measures design, seventeen active male participants performed four suspension exercises typically associated with core training (roll-out, bodysaw, pike and knee-tuck). Surface electromyographic signals were recorded from lower and upper parts of rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, lower and upper parts of erector spinae muscles using concentric bipolar electrodes. The average rectified values of electromyographic signals were normalized with respect to individual maximum voluntary isometric contraction of each muscle. Roll-out exercise showed the highest activation of rectus abdominis and oblique muscles compared to the other exercises. The rectus abdominis and external oblique reached an activation higher than 60% of the maximal voluntary contraction (or very close to that threshold, 55%) in roll-out and bodysaw exercises. Findings from this study allow the selection of suspension core training exercises on the basis of quantitative information about the activation of muscles of interest. Roll-out and bodysaw exercises can be considered as suitable for strength training of rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles.

Hydrogels are among the most exploited materials in tissue engineering and there is growing interest in injectable hydrogels, especially as applied to surgical adhesives and bioprinting materials. Here we report a method to produce a hydrogel in a desired location by simply extruding a suspension of high aspect ratio and flexible microfibers from a syringe. The mechanism of gel formation is purely physical and based on irreversible entanglements formed by the microfibers under the action of flow. The single microfibers have been produced and finely tailored by microfluidic methods. Shear rheology has been performed in order to get insights on the entanglements, and results show that the formation of entanglements is related to a shear thickening behavior of the suspension, which in turn depends on shear rate and concentration of fibers. When shearing the suspension, highly non-linear viscoelastic behavior is observed and probed by a highly positive first normal stress difference. We also report the hydrogel swelling behavior and its linear viscoelastic properties as obtained by imposing small oscillatory stress to the material.

Full Text Available Nowadays, most modern vehicles are equipped with controlled suspension systems for improving the vehicle ride comfort. Therefore, this paper is concerned with a theoretical study for the ride comfort performance of the vehicle. The theoretical investigation includes a suggestion of an active suspension system controller using fuzzy-skyhook control theory, which offers new opportunities for the improvement of vehicle ride performance. The ride comfort of the active suspension system has been evaluated using a 7 degree of freedom full vehicle mathematical model. The simulation results are presented in the time and frequency domain, also in terms of RMS values, and it’s shown that the proposed active suspension system with fuzzy-skyhook control improved the vehicle ride quality in terms of body acceleration, suspension working space and dynamic tyre load in comparison with the passive and skyhook suspension systems.

The magneto-rheological damper (MRD) is a promising device used in vehicle semi-activesuspension systems, for its continuous adjustable damping output. However, the innate nonlinear hysteresis characteristic of MRD may cause the nonlinear behaviors. In this work, a two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) MR suspension system was established first, by employing the modified Bouc–Wen force–velocity (F–v) hysteretic model. The nonlinear dynamic response of the system was investigated under the external excitation of single-frequency harmonic and bandwidth-limited stochastic road surface. The largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) was used to detect the chaotic area of the frequency and amplitude of harmonic excitation, and the bifurcation diagrams, time histories, phase portraits, and power spectrum density (PSD) diagrams were used to reveal the dynamic evolution process in detail. Moreover, the LLE and Kolmogorov entropy (K entropy) were used to identify whether the system response was random or chaotic under stochastic road surface. The results demonstrated that the complex dynamical behaviors occur under different external excitation conditions. The oscillating mechanism of alternating periodic oscillations, quasi-periodic oscillations, and chaotic oscillations was observed in detail. The chaotic regions revealed that chaotic motions may appear in conditions of mid-low frequency and large amplitude, as well as small amplitude and all frequency. The obtained parameter regions where the chaotic motions may appear are useful for design of structural parameters of the vibration isolation, and the optimization of control strategy for MR suspension system. (paper)

Bogie suspension system of high speed trains can significantly affect vehicle performance. Multiobjective optimisation problems are often formulated and solved to find the Pareto optimised values of the suspension components and improve cost efficiency in railway operations from different perspectives. Uncertainties in the design parameters of suspension system can negatively influence the dynamics behaviour of railway vehicles. In this regard, robustness analysis of a bogie dynamics response with respect to uncertainties in the suspension design parameters is considered. A one-car railway vehicle model with 50 degrees of freedom and wear/comfort Pareto optimised values of bogie suspension components is chosen for the analysis. Longitudinal and lateral primary stiffnesses, longitudinal and vertical secondary stiffnesses, as well as yaw damping are considered as five design parameters. The effects of parameter uncertainties on wear, ride comfort, track shift force, stability, and risk of derailment are studied by varying the design parameters around their respective Pareto optimised values according to a lognormal distribution with different coefficient of variations (COVs). The robustness analysis is carried out based on the maximum entropy concept. The multiplicative dimensional reduction method is utilised to simplify the calculation of fractional moments and improve the computational efficiency. The results showed that the dynamics response of the vehicle with wear/comfort Pareto optimised values of bogie suspension is robust against uncertainties in the design parameters and the probability of failure is small for parameter uncertainties with COV up to 0.1.

The main objective was to develop a smart new vehicle suspension system that minimizes the road irregularities impact on the driver, also to increase performance and stability of the vehicle at high speeds. The central idea is based on modifying the normal passive suspension system into a computer controller hydraulic actuated active suspension system simply by adding a new component such as a hydraulic cylinder on a normal passive system. The new suspension system is economical to be wildly used in consumer’s cars with low prices. The new added components was analytically tested and modeled according to different parameters. A new test rig was implemented to simulate a real quarter suspension system. The new suspension model was controlled by feedback controller according to the road conditions; the controller output controls the cylinder actuator to compensate the road oscillations and increases the vehicle stability for the passenger. Finally, to maximize the aerodynamics coefficients of the vehicle during high speeds by controlling the vehicle clearance level from the ground to achieve full stability, steering and fuel economy.

The Editor wishes to make the reader aware that the paper "Semi-active control of the rocking motion of monolithic art objects" by R. Ceravolo, M.L. Pecorelli, and L.Z. Fragonara, did not contain a direct citation of the fundamental and original work by D. Konstantinidis and N. Makris entitled "Experimental and analytical studies on the seismic response of free-standing and anchored laboratory equipment", Report No. PEER 2005/07. Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research (PEER) Center, University of California, Berkeley, 2005. The Editor regrets that this omission was not noted at the time that the above paper was accepted and published.

A hydraulic active suspension system, Nissan original product, was developed and mass produced for the first time in the world. The system incorporates a sufficient power source, a high accuracy sensor and a high response device for continuous and intended vehicle control and at the same time delivers high levels of ride comfort and driving performance. The suspension system has four innovative features: skyhook damping, active roll and pitching control, a frequency-dependent damping mechanism, and active steering characteristics control. Under all road and operating conditions, the system actively suppresses vehicle attitude changes and unnecessary movement, and also gently absorbs inputs from the road. This epoch-making system provides a dramatic improvement in vehicle performance, and has been adopted in the Infiniti Q45 luxury sedan. 2 refs., 20 figs., 4 tabs.

Microstructure is key to understanding rheological behaviors of flowing particulate suspensions. During the past decade, Stokesian Dynamics simulations have been the dominant method of determining suspension microstructure. Structure results obtained numerically reveal that an anisotropic structure is formed under high Peclet (Pe) number conditions. Researchers have used various experimental techniques such as small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and light scattering methods to validate microstructure. This work outlines an experimental technique based on confocal microscopy to study microstructure of a colloidal suspension in an index-matched fluid flowing in a microchannel. High resolution scans determining individual particle locations in suspensions 30-50 vol % yield quantitative results of the local microstructure in the form of the pair distribution function, g(r). From these experimentally determined g(r), the effect of shear rate, quantified by the Peclet number as a ratio of shear and Brownian stress, on the suspension viscosity and normal stress follow that seen in macroscopic rheological measurements and simulations. It is generally believed that shear thickening behavior of colloidal suspensions is driven by the formation of hydroclusters. From measurements of particle locations, hydroclusters are identified. The number of hydroclusters grows exponentially with increasing Pe, and the onset of shear thickening is driven by the increase in formation of clusters having 5-8 particles. At higher Pe, we notice the emergence of 12 or more particle clusters. The internal structure of these hydroclusters has been investigated, and there is some evidence that particles internal to hydroclusters preferentially align along the 45° and 135° axis. Beyond observations of bulk suspension behavior, the influence of boundaries on suspension microstructure is also investigated. Experiments were performed for suspensions flowing over smooth walls, made of glass

This study demonstrated that the electro-chemical analysis of hydrophobic quinones can be performed in liposome suspension systems. We prepared and analyzed liposome suspensions containing lapachol, which is a quinone-based anti-tumor activity compound. In this suspension system, a simple one redox couple of lapachol is observed. These results are quite different from those obtained in organic solvents. In addition, the pH dependence of redox behaviors of lapachol could be observed in multilamellar vesicle (MLV) suspension system. This MLV suspension system method may approximate the electrochemical behavior of hydrophobic compounds in aqueous conditions. A benefit of this liposome suspension system for electrochemical analysis is that it enables to observe water-insoluble compounds without using organic solvents.

The purpose of this research program is to design, build and test (in cooperation with NASA personnel from the NASA Langley Research Center) neural controllers for two different small air-gap magnetic suspension systems. The general objective of the program is to study neural network architectures for the purpose of control in an experimental setting and to demonstrate the feasibility of the concept. The specific objectives of the research program are: (1) to demonstrate through simulation and experimentation the feasibility of using neural controllers to stabilize a nonlinear magnetic suspension system; (2) to investigate through simulation and experimentation the performance of neural controllers designs under various types of parametric and nonparametric uncertainty; (3) to investigate through simulation and experimentation various types of neural architectures for real-time control with respect to performance and complexity; and (4) to benchmark in an experimental setting the performance of neural controllers against other types of existing linear and nonlinear compensator designs. To date, the first one-dimensional, small air-gap magnetic suspension system has been built, tested and delivered to the NASA Langley Research Center. The device is currently being stabilized with a digital linear phase-lead controller. The neural controller hardware is under construction. Two different neural network paradigms are under consideration, one based on hidden layer feedforward networks trained via back propagation and one based on using Gaussian radial basis functions trained by analytical methods related to stability conditions. Some advanced nonlinear control algorithms using feedback linearization and sliding mode control are in simulation studies.

In this paper some recent research on active control of very long suspension bridges, is presented. The presentation is based on research work at Aalborg University, Denmark. The active control system is based on movable flaps attached to the bridge girder. Wind load on bridges with or without...... flaps attached to the girder is briefly presented. A simple active control system is discussed. Results from wind tunnel experiments with a bridge section show that flaps can be used effectively to control bridge girder vibrations. Flutter conditions for suspension bridges with and without flaps...

Full Text Available This paper presents the design, analysis, and experimental validation of the passive case of a variable stiffness suspension system. The central concept is based on a recently designed variable stiffness mechanism. It consists of a horizontal control strut and a vertical strut. The main idea is to vary the load transfer ratio by moving the location of the point of attachment of the vertical strut to the car body. This movement is controlled passively using the horizontal strut. The system is analyzed using an L2-gain analysis based on the concept of energy dissipation. The analyses, simulation, and experimental results show that the variable stiffness suspension achieves better performance than the constant stiffness counterpart. The performance criteria used are; ride comfort, characterized by the car body acceleration, suspension deflection, and road holding, characterized by tire deflection.

The stability of an extemporaneously prepared tadalafil oral suspension was studied. An oral suspension of tadalafil 5 mg/mL was prepared by thoroughly grinding 15 20-mg tadalafil tablets in a glass mortar. Thirty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of Ora-Sweet were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of the formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and stored at room temperature (23-25 °C). A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the three bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 14, 28, 57, and 91 days. After double dilution (1:10 and 0.1:5 v/v) to an expected concentration of 10 μg/mL with methanol and mobile phase, respectively, the samples were assayed in duplicate using stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. The samples were visually examined for any color change and evaluated for pH changes on each day of analysis. Taste evaluation was performed at the beginning and end of the study. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 99% of the initial tadalafil concentration remained throughout the 91-day study period. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, and pH, and no visible microbial growth was observed in any sample. An extemporaneously prepared suspension of tadalafil 5 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet was stable for at least 91 days when stored in amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

The stability of extemporaneously prepared glycopyrrolate 0.5-mg/mL suspensions was evaluated. An oral suspension of glycopyrrolate 0.5 mg/mL was prepared by thoroughly grinding 30 1-mg tablets of glycopyrrolate in a glass mortar. Thirty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of the formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and stored at room temperature (23-25 °C). A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the three bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and 7, 15, 30, 60, and 90 days afterward. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 50 μg/mL with sample diluent, the samples were assayed in duplicate by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. The samples were visually examined for any color change and evaluated for pH on each day of analysis. Taste evaluations were performed at the beginning and end of the study. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 95% of the initial glycopyrrolate remained throughout the 90-day study period in both preparations. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, and pH, and no visible microbial growth was observed in any sample. Extemporaneously compounded suspensions of glycopyrrolate 0.5 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus/Ora-Sweet or Ora-Plus/Ora-Sweet SF were stable for at least 90 days when stored in amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

Four-wheel suspension system uses simple system of levers with no compliant components to provide three-point suspension of chassis of vehicle while maintaining four-point contact with uneven terrain. Provides stability against tipping of four-point rectangular base, without rocking contact to which rigid four-wheel frame susceptible. Similar to six-wheel suspension system described in "Articulated Suspension Without Springs" (NPO-17354).

This paper is the second of two papers, describing probe measurements of deposit buildup and removal (shedding), conducted in a 350 MWth suspension-fired boiler, firing straw and wood. Investigations of deposit buildup and shedding have been made by use of an advanced online deposit probe and a s...

This paper is Part 1 in a series of two describing probe measurements of deposit build-up and removal (shedding) in a 350 MWth suspension boiler, firing straw and wood. The influence of fuel type (straw share in wood), probe exposure time, probe surface temperature (500, 550, and 600 °C), and flu...

Clay minerals are involved in many natural (landslides, river channels) and industrial processes (ceramics, cosmetics, oil recovery). They are plate shaped charged colloids and exhibit different flow properties than simpler colloids when suspended in a liquid such as thixotropy and shear-banding. kaolinite platelets are non-swelling, meaning that the stacks formed by the platelets do not have water layers, and thus the suspension does not have a sol-gel transition. However, it has been shown that kaolinite suspensions possesses a non-zero yield stress even at low concentrations, indicating that the particles arrange themselves in a structure through attractive interactions. Here, we experimentally investigate the sedimentation of kaolinite suspensions in a Hele-Shaw cell. The sedimentation of these dilute suspensions can display solid behavior like fracture, revealed in cross-polarized light, which is linked to the failure of the weakly-bonded structure (typical yield stress 10-2 Pa). By changing the interaction potential of the particles (by sonication or introducing salts), we show through these sedimentation experiments, how the fracture pattern can be avoided. Research was sponsored by the Army Research Laboratory and was accomplished under Grant Number 569074.

... issuance of a final order for removal, suspension, or debarment of an independent public accountant or..., whichever date is earlier. The written notice must be filed by the independent public accountant or... PRACTICE RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE Removal, Suspension, and Debarment of Accountants From Performing...

Suspensions of cornstarch in water exhibit strong dynamic shear-thickening. We show that partly replacing water by ethanol strongly alters the suspension rheology. We perform steady and non-steady rheology measurements combined with atomic force microscopy to investigate the role of fluid chemistry

This study performs a series of numerical simulations and shake-table experiments to design and assess the performance of a nonlinear clipped feedback control algorithm based on optimal polynomial control (OPC) to mitigate the response of a two-span bridge equipped with a magnetorheological (MR) damper. As an extended conventional linear quadratic regulator, OPC provides more flexibility in the control design and further enhances system performance. The challenges encountered in this case are (1) the linearization of the nonlinear behavior of various components and (2) the selection of the weighting matrices in the objective function of OPC. The first challenge is addressed by using stochastic linearization which replaces the nonlinear portion of the system behavior with an equivalent linear time-invariant model considering the stochasticity in the excitation. Furthermore, a genetic algorithm is employed to find optimal weighting matrices for the control design. The input current to the MR damper installed between adjacent spans is determined using a clipped stochastic optimal polynomial control algorithm. The performance of the controlled system is assessed through a set of shake-table experiments for far-field and near-field ground motions. The proposed method showed considerable improvements over passive cases especially for the far-field ground motion.

This study performs a series of numerical simulations and shake-table experiments to design and assess the performance of a nonlinear clipped feedback control algorithm based on optimal polynomial control (OPC) to mitigate the response of a two-span bridge equipped with a magnetorheological (MR) damper. As an extended conventional linear quadratic regulator, OPC provides more flexibility in the control design and further enhances system performance. The challenges encountered in this case are (1) the linearization of the nonlinear behavior of various components and (2) the selection of the weighting matrices in the objective function of OPC. The first challenge is addressed by using stochastic linearization which replaces the nonlinear portion of the system behavior with an equivalent linear time-invariant model considering the stochasticity in the excitation. Furthermore, a genetic algorithm is employed to find optimal weighting matrices for the control design. The input current to the MR damper installed between adjacent spans is determined using a clipped stochastic optimal polynomial control algorithm. The performance of the controlled system is assessed through a set of shake-table experiments for far-field and near-field ground motions. The proposed method showed considerable improvements over passive cases especially for the far-field ground motion. (paper)

The short-term physical and chemical stability of an oral suspension of thalidomide 20 mg/mL was studied. An oral suspension of thalidomide 20 mg/mL was prepared by emptying the contents of 12 100-mg thalidomide capsules into a glass mortar; 30 mL of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of Ora-Sweet were mixed and added to the thalidomide powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of the formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and stored under refrigeration (3-5 °C). A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the three samples with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35 days. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 20 μg/mL with acetonitrile-methanol and then dilution with mobile phase, the samples were assayed in duplicate using stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. Stability was determined by evaluating the percentage of the initial concentration remaining at each time point; stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration of thalidomide. At least 92% of the initial thalidomide concentration remained throughout the 35-day study period. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, or pH and no visible microbial growth in any sample. An extemporaneously prepared suspension of thalidomide 20 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet was stable for at least 35 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles under refrigeration.

The stability of extemporaneously prepared moxifloxacin oral suspensions was studied. An oral suspension of moxifloxacin 20 mg/mL was prepared by thoroughly grinding three 400-mg tablets of moxifloxacin in a glass mortar. Thirty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of each formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and were stored at room temperature (23-25 degrees C). A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the six bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 14, 28, 60, and 90 days. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 8 microg/ mL with sample diluent, the samples were assayed in duplicate by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 99% of the initial moxifloxacin remained throughout the 90-day study period in both preparations. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, and pH and no visible microbial growth in any sample. Extemporaneously compounded suspensions of moxifloxacin 20 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were stable for at least 90 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

The stability of extemporaneously prepared rifaximin oral suspensions was studied. An oral suspension of rifaximin 20 mg/mL was prepared by thoroughly grinding six 200-mg tablets of rifaximin in a glass mortar. Thirty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of each formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and were stored at room temperature (23-25 degrees C). A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the six bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 15, 30, and 60 days. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 20 microg/mL with mobile phase, the samples were assayed in duplicate using stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. The samples were visually examined for any color change and pH was tested on each day of analysis. Stability was determined by evaluating the percentage of the initial concentration remaining at each time point and defined as retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration of rifaximin. At least 99% of the initial rifaximin remained throughout the 60-day study period in both preparations. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, or pH and no visible microbial growth in any sample. Extemporaneously prepared suspensions of rifaximin 20 mg/mL in 1:1 mixtures of Ora-Plus with either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were stable for at least 60 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

All external loads carried underneath an aircraft are mounted onto it through mechanism generally known as suspension system. The externally mounted attachments like bombs, missiles and fuel tanks etc. experience enormous aerodynamic and inertial forces in the flights. These forces are transferred to the interface point of suspension system, known as 'Suspension Lug'. Thus lugs are considered critical component and have extremely stringent qualification criteria standards used in the aviation industry in USA, Europe, Russia, etc. Different standards prevail in different parts of the world about qualification and testing of these lugs. As Pakistan is entering into aviation industry, therefore there is a need to fulfill the requirements of these standards, to suit Pakistani environment. The suspension lug under study is 2000 Ibs. load class made from AISI-4340 Steel having good mechanical properties as per required standard. The manufacturing processes included forging, machining and vacuum heat treatment. The prototypes of suspension lugs were manufactured in the local industry and subjected to the required mechanical tests such as tensile testing at 5 to 35 degree angles. Impact testing at cryogenic temperatures of -50 to -70 degree C, and breaking load testing were performed. The acceptable results were obtained and mechanical testing for qualification of lugs was finalized and standardized. The options were compared with practical viability, utilization of product and cost effectiveness. (author)

We discuss the possibility of significantly reducing the number and Q-factor of violin string modes in the mirror suspension. Simulations of a bar-flexure suspension and an orthogonal ribbon have shown a reduction in the number of violin string modes when compared to a normal ribbon suspension. By calculating the expected suspension thermal noise, we find that the orthogonal ribbon provides a promising suspension alternative. A lower number of violin modes oscillating in the direction of the laser and a reduction in violin mode peak values of at least 23dB can be achieved with a slight increase in thermal noise above 40Hz

We discuss the possibility of significantly reducing the number and Q-factor of violin string modes in the mirror suspension. Simulations of a bar-flexure suspension and an orthogonal ribbon have shown a reduction in the number of violin string modes when compared to a normal ribbon suspension. By calculating the expected suspension thermal noise, we find that the orthogonal ribbon provides a promising suspension alternative. A lower number of violin modes oscillating in the direction of the laser and a reduction in violin mode peak values of at least 23dB can be achieved with a slight increase in thermal noise above 40Hz.

International audience; We study the rheology of a sheared 2D suspension of non-Brownian disks in presence of walls. Although, it is of course possible today with modern computers and powerful algorithms to perform direct numerical simulations that fully account for multiparticle 3D interactions in the presence of walls, the analysis of the simple case of a 2D suspension, provides valuable insights and helps to understand 3D results. Thanks to the direct visualization of the whole 2D flow (th...

A phenylpropanoid compound has been characterized in a Nicotiana plumbaginifolia cell suspension. This compound has been isolated and purified by semi-preparative reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatography. Its structure has been identified by NMR spectroscopy as 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid, which is chlorogenic acid (CA). The influence of culture conditions on the accumulation of this metabolite by N. plumbaginifolia cell suspensions has been studied. Darkness strongly inhibits the CA accumulation. Moreover, it has been shown that feeding experiments with caffeic acid had a deleterious effect upon the CA content. This one was not influenced by a supplementation with quinic acid.

A laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy-coupled optical system is reported to demodulate digitally encoded suspension array in fluoroimmunoassay. It takes advantage of the plasma emissions of assembled elemental materials to digitally decode the suspension array, providing a more stable and accurate recognition to target biomolecules. By separating the decoding procedure of suspension array and adsorption quantity calculation of biomolecules into two independent channels, the cross talk between decoding and label signals in traditional methods had been successfully avoided, which promoted the accuracy of both processes and realized more sensitive quantitative detection of target biomolecules. We carried a multiplexed detection of several types of anti-IgG to verify the quantitative analysis performance of the system. A limit of detection of 1.48×10-10 M was achieved, demonstrating the detection sensitivity of the optical demodulation system.

We introduce a novel multiple-relaxation time (modified MRT) Lattice Boltzmann scheme for simulation of confined suspension flow. Via careful tuning of the free eigenvalues of the collision operator we can substantially reduce the error in the so-called hydrodynamic radius. Its performance has been

Rufinamide is an oral antiepileptic drug indicated for adjunctive therapy in treating generalized seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Currently, rufinamide is available as 200-mg and 400-mg tablets. A liquid dosage form does not exist at the present time. Lack of a suspension formulation may present an administration problem for many children and adults who are unable to swallow tablets. The availability of a liquid dosage form will provide an easy and accurate way to measure and administer the medication. To determine the stability of both sugar-containing and sugar-free rufinamide suspensions over a 90-day period. A suspension of rufinamide 40 mg/mL was prepared by grinding twelve 400-mg tablets of rufinamide tablets in a glass mortar. Sixty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 60 mL of either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF (sugar free) were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 120 mL. Three identical samples of each formulation were prepared and placed in 60-mL amber plastic bottles and were stored at room temperature. A 1-mL sample was withdrawn from each of the 6 bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 14, 28, 56, and 90 days. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 0.4 mg/mL, the samples were assayed using high-performance liquid chromatography. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 90% of the initial rufinamide concentration remained throughout the 90-day study period in both preparations. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, and pH and no visible microbial growth. Extemporaneously compounded suspensions of rufinamide 40 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were stable for at least 90 days when stored in 59-mL amber polypropylene plastic bottles at room temperature.

Magnetorheological (MR) suspensions are composed of colloidal particles which acquire dipole moments when subjected to an external magnetic field. At sufficient field strengths and concentrations, the dipolar particles rapidly aggregate to form long chains. Subsequent lateral cross-linking of the dipolar chains is responsible for a rapid liquid-to-solid-like rheological transition. The unique, magnetically-activated rheological properties of MR suspensions make them ideal for interfacing mechanical systems to electronic controls. Additionally, the ability to experimentally probe colloidal suspensions interacting through tunable anisotropic potentials is of fundamental interest. Our current experimental work has focused on understanding the fluctuations of dipolar chains. It has been proposed by Halsey and Toor (HT) that the strong Landau-Peierls thermal fluctuations of dipolar chains could be responsible for long-range attractions between chains. Such interactions will govern the long-time relaxation of MR suspensions. We have synthesized monodisperse neutrally buoyant MR suspensions by density matching stabilized ferrofluid emulsion droplets with D2O. This allows us to probe the dynamics of the dipolar chains using light scattering without gravitational, interfacial, and polydispersity effects to resolve the short-wavelength dynamics of the dipolar chains. We used diffusing wave spectroscopy to measure these dynamics. The particle displacements at short times that show an independence to the field strength, but at long times exhibit a constrained, sub-diffusive motion that slows as the dipole strength is increased. The experiments are in good qualitative agreement with Brownian dynamics simulations of dipolar chains. Although there have been several important and detailed studies of the structure and interactions in MR suspensions, there has not been conclusive evidence that supports or contradicts the HT model prediction that long-range interactions exist between

This supplemental material provides a brief introduction to particle suspension mechanisms that cause exfoliated skin cells to become and remain airborne. The material presented here provides additional context to the primary manuscript and serves as background for designing possible future studies to assess the impact of skin cells as a source of infectious aerosols. This introduction is not intended to be comprehensive and interested readers are encouraged to consult the references cited.

One common but challenging problem in cryogenic engineering is to produce a mount that has excellent thermal isolation but is also rigid. Such mounts can be achieved by suspending the load from a network of fibers or strings held in tension. Kevlar fibers are often used for this purpose owing to their high strength and low thermal conductivity. A suite of compact design elements has been developed to improve the reliability of suspension systems made of Kevlar.

Bacterial flagella are a type of biological polymer studied for its role in bacterial motility and the polymorphic transitions undertaken to facilitate the run and tumble behavior. The naturally rigid, helical shape of flagella gives rise to novel colloidal dynamics and material properties. This thesis studies methods in which the shape of bacterial flagella can be controlled using in vitro methods and the changes the shape of the flagella have on both single particle dynamics and bulk material properties. We observe individual flagellum in both the dilute and semidilute regimes to observe the effects of solvent condition on the shape of the filament as well as the effect the filament morphology has on reptation through a network of flagella. In addition, we present rheological measurements showing how the shape of filaments effects the bulk material properties of flagellar suspensions. We find that the individual particle dynamics in suspensions of flagella can vary with geometry from needing to reptate linearly via rotation for helical filaments to the prevention of long range diffusion for block copolymer filaments. Similarly, for bulk material properties of flagella suspensions, helical geometries show a dramatic enhancement in elasticity over straight filaments while block copolymers form an elastic gel without the aid of crosslinking agents.

Full Text Available The vibration of SRM obtains less attention for in-wheel motor applications according to the present research works. In this paper, the vertical component of SRM unbalanced radial force, which is named as SRM vertical force, is taken into account in suspensionperformance for in-wheel motor driven electric vehicles (IWM-EV. The analysis results suggest that SRM vertical force has a great effect on suspensionperformance. The direct cause for this phenomenon is that SRM vertical force is directly exerted on the wheel, which will result in great variation in tyre dynamic load and the tyre will easily jump off the ground. Furthermore, the frequency of SRM vertical force is broad which covers the suspension resonance frequencies. So it is easy to arouse suspension resonance and greatly damage suspensionperformance. Aiming at the new problem, FxLMS (filtered-X least mean square controller is proposed to improve suspensionperformance. The FxLMS controller is based on active suspension system which can generate the controllable force to suppress the vibration caused by SRM vertical force. The conclusion shows that it is effective to take advantage of active suspensions to reduce the effect of SRM vertical force on suspensionperformance.

Full Text Available As the road conditions are completely unknown in the design of a suspension controller, an improved linear quadratic and Gaussian distributed (LQG controller is proposed for active suspension system without considering road input signals. The main purpose is to optimize the vehicle body acceleration, pitching angular acceleration, displacement of suspension system, and tire dynamic deflection comprehensively. Meanwhile, it will extend the applicability of the LQG controller. Firstly, the half-vehicle and road input mathematical models of an active suspension system are established, with the weight coefficients of each evaluating indicator optimized by using genetic algorithm (GA. Then, a simulation model is built in Matlab/Simulink environment. Finally, a comparison of simulation is conducted to illustrate that the proposed LQG controller can obtain the better comprehensive performance of vehicle suspension system and improve riding comfort and handling safety compared to the conventional one.

This work analyses the effect of friction in suspension components on a race car vertical dynamics. It is a matter of fact that race cars aim at maximising their performance, focusing the attention mostly on aerodynamics and suspension tuning: suspension vertical and rolling stiffness and damping are parameters to be taken into account for an optimal setup. Furthermore, friction in suspension components must not be ignored. After a test session carried out with a F4 on a Four Poster rig, friction was detected on the front suspension. The real data gathered allow the validation of an analytical model with friction, confirming that its influence is relevant for low frequency values closed to the car pitch natural frequency. Finally, some setup proposals are presented to describe what should be done on actual race cars in order to correct vehicle behaviour when friction occurs.

Full Text Available This paper proposes mechanism and control algorithm for pneumatic relaxation system of suspension with vibration energy recuperation applied to standard vehicle operator seat (“Sibeko” company. Mathematical model of the seat pneumatic relaxation suspension with two additional air volumes was created. Pneumatic motor – recuperator activated by means of air flow from the one additional volume to another is installed in air piping between additional volumes. Computational research was made in Matlab/Simulink. Amplitude-frequency characteristics of transmission coefficient for standard and proposed suspensions were plotted for preliminary evaluation of vibration protection properties of seat suspension. Performed comparative analysis of amplitude-frequency characteristics shows that noticeable improvement of vibration protection properties of pneumatic relaxation suspension system with vibration energy recuperation in comparison with standard system both in region of resonance disturbances and in above-resonance region. Main ways for further improvement of vibration protection properties of proposed system were marked out.

Full Text Available This paper presents the two-dimensional fuzzy sliding mode control of a field-sensed magnetic suspension system. The fuzzy rules include both the sliding manifold and its derivative. The fuzzy sliding mode control has advantages of the sliding mode control and the fuzzy control rules are minimized. Magnetic suspension systems are nonlinear and inherently unstable systems. The two-dimensional fuzzy sliding mode control can stabilize the nonlinear systems globally and attenuate chatter effectively. It is adequate to be applied to magnetic suspension systems. New design circuits of magnetic suspension systems are proposed in this paper. ARM Cortex-M3 microcontroller is utilized as a digital controller. The implemented driver, sensor, and control circuits are simpler, more inexpensive, and effective. This apparatus is satisfactory for engineering education. In the hands-on experiments, the proposed control scheme markedly improves performances of the field-sensed magnetic suspension system.

Full Text Available The experimental approach is usually used as the way to develop or modify a suspension system to obtain maximum ride comfort and handling characteristics. This approach is a time-consuming process, costly, and may not guarantee the optimum solution. Thus, to avoid this, a virtual vehicle suspension system is necessary. In this paper, a half-car body of an actual suspension system based on the PROTON WRM 44 P0-34 was modeled and simulated. In total, 10 components comprised each front McPherson strut and rear multilink suspension consisting of different joint types and a number of degrees of freedom. The model was developed by defining the location of the hard point or coordinate before specifying the component characteristics and joint type. The completed suspension model was simulated using the vertical parallel and vertical oppose movement test, the same tests conducted with the actual experimental parameter setup. The kinematics and compliance (K&C of the simulation is compared with the experimental data to verify the suspension model. The outcome from the simulation showed a verified virtual suspension system model with a very minimum percentage of error and different characteristics of the static performance of the suspension system when subjected to the test as explained further in the paper.

Semi-active train-car suspensions are always impacted negatively by uncertainty and disturbance (UAD). In order to deal with this, we propose a novel optimal fuzzy disturbance observer-enhanced sliding mode controller (FDO-SMC) for magneto-rheological damper (MRD)-based semi-active train-car suspensions subjected to UAD whose variability rate may be high but bounded. The two main parts of the FDO-SMC are an adaptive sliding mode controller (ad-SMC) and an optimal fuzzy disturbance observer (op-FDO). As the first step, the initial structures of the sliding mode controller (SMC) and disturbance observer (DO) are built. Adaptive update laws for the SMC and DO are then set up synchronously via Lyapunov stability analysis. Subsequently, an optimal fuzzy system (op-FS) is designed to fully implement a parameter constraint mechanism so as to guarantee the system stability converging to the desired state even if the UAD variability rate increases in a given range. As a result, both the ad-SMC and op-FDO are formulated. It is shown from the comparative work with existing controllers that the proposed method provides the best vibration control capability with relatively low consumed power.

Magnetic suspension systems can be used in a wide variety of applications. The decision of whether to use an attractive or repulsive suspension system for a particular application is a fundamental one which must be made during the design process. As an aid to the designer, we compare and contrast attractive and repulsive magnetic suspension systems and indicate whether and under what conditions one or the other system is preferred.

The main objective of suspension system is to reduce the motions of the vehicle body with respect to road disturbances. The conventional suspension systems in road vehicles use passive elements such as springs and dampers to suppress the vibrations induced by the irregularities in the road. But these conventional suspension systems can suppress vibrations to a certain limit. This paper presents a novel idea to improve the ride quality of roads vehicles without compromising vehicle?s stability...

The suspension part of the electrodynamic loudspeaker is often modelled as a simple linear spring with viscous damping, however the dynamic behaviour of the suspension is much more complicated than predicted by such a simple model. At higher levels the compliance becomes non-linear and often chan...... changes during excitation at high levels. This paper investigates how the compliance of the suspension depends on the excitation, i.e. level and frequency content. The measurements are compared with other known measurement methods of the suspension....

Full Text Available The main objective of suspension system is to reduce the motions of the vehicle body with respect to road disturbances. The conventional suspension systems in road vehicles use passive elements such as springs and dampers to suppress the vibrations induced by the irregularities in the road. But these conventional suspension systems can suppress vibrations to a certain limit. This paper presents a novel idea to improve the ride quality of roads vehicles without compromising vehicle?s stability. The paper proposes the use of primary and secondary suspension to suppress the vibrations more effectively.

Several R and D programmes are ongoing to develop the next generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors providing the superior sensitivity desired for refined astronomical observations. In order to obtain a wide observation band at low frequencies, the optics need to be isolated from the seismic noise. The TAMA SAS (seismic attenuation system) has been developed within an international collaboration between TAMA, LIGO, and some European institutes, with the main objective of achieving sufficient low-frequency seismic attenuation (-180 dB at 10 HZ). The system suppresses seismic noise well below the other noise levels starting at very low frequencies above 10 Hz. It also includes an active inertial damping system to decrease the residual motion of the optics enough to allow a stable operation of the interferometer. The TAMA SAS also comprises a sophisticated mirror suspension subsystem (SUS). The SUS provides support for the optics and vibration isolation complementing the SAS performance. The SU...

The magneto-rheological damper (MRD) is a promising device used in vehicle semi-activesuspension systems, for its continuous adjustable damping output. However, the innate nonlinear hysteresis characteristic of MRD may cause the nonlinear behaviors. In this work, a two-degree-of-freedom (2-DOF) MR suspension system was established first, by employing the modified Bouc-Wen force-velocity (F-v) hysteretic model. The nonlinear dynamic response of the system was investigated under the external excitation of single-frequency harmonic and bandwidth-limited stochastic road surface. The largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE) was used to detect the chaotic area of the frequency and amplitude of harmonic excitation, and the bifurcation diagrams, time histories, phase portraits, and power spectrum density (PSD) diagrams were used to reveal the dynamic evolution process in detail. Moreover, the LLE and Kolmogorov entropy (K entropy) were used to identify whether the system response was random or chaotic under stochastic road surface. The results demonstrated that the complex dynamical behaviors occur under different external excitation conditions. The oscillating mechanism of alternating periodic oscillations, quasi-periodic oscillations, and chaotic oscillations was observed in detail. The chaotic regions revealed that chaotic motions may appear in conditions of mid-low frequency and large amplitude, as well as small amplitude and all frequency. The obtained parameter regions where the chaotic motions may appear are useful for design of structural parameters of the vibration isolation, and the optimization of control strategy for MR suspension system. Projects supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51475246, 51277098, and 51075215), the Research Innovation Program for College Graduates of Jiangsu Province China (Grant No. KYLX15 0725), and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province of China (Grant No. BK20131402).

We study the rheology of a sheared two-dimensional (2D) suspension of non-Brownian disks in the presence of walls. Although it is of course possible today with modern computers and powerful algorithms to perform direct numerical simulations that fully account for multiparticle 3D interactions in the presence of walls, the analysis of the simple case of a 2D suspension provides valuable insights and helps in the understanding of 3D results. Due to the direct visualization of the whole 2D flow (the shear plane), we are able to give a clear interpretation of the full hydrodynamics of semidilute confined suspensions. For instance, we examine the role of disk-wall and disk-disk interactions to determine the dissipation of confined sheared suspensions whose effective viscosity depends on the area fraction ϕ of the disks as ηeff=η0[1 +[η ] ϕ +β ϕ2+O (ϕ3) ] . We provide numerical estimates of [η ] and β for a wide range of confinements. As a benchmark for our simulations, we compare the numerical results obtained for [η ] and β for very weak confinements with analytical values [η] ∞ and β∞ obtained for an infinite fluid. If the value [η] ∞=2 is well known in the literature, much less is published on the value of β . Here we analytically calculate with very high precision β∞=3.6 . We also reexamine the 3D case in the light of our 2D results.

The optical limiting (OL) of detonation nanodiamond (DND) suspensions in engine oil was studied at a temperature range of 20°C to 100°C. Oil suspensions were prepared on the basis of the DNDs with an average nanoparticle cluster size in hydrosols (Daver) of 50 and 110 nm. Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize the samples. The OL investigation was carried out by the z-scan technique. The fundamental (1064 nm) and second (532 nm) harmonic radiations of YAG:Nd3+ laser with passive Q-switching as an excitation source were used. The OL thresholds for both suspensions at 532 and 1064 nm were determined. It is shown that a decrease in the average nanoparticle cluster size as well as an increase of the wavelength of the incident radiation leads to the OL threshold increase. It is established that the OL performance is not influenced by increasing the temperature from 20°C to 100°C. The results obtained show the possibility of using the DNDs suspensions in engine oil as an optical limiter in a wide temperature range.

Background Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS) of microorganism was characterized by the generation of harmonics in the polarization current when a microorganism suspension was exposed to a sinusoidal electric field. The biological nonlinear response initially described was not well verified by other authors and the results were susceptible to ambiguous interpretation. In this paper NLDS was performed to yeast suspension in tripolar and tetrapolar configuration with a recently developed analyzer. Methods Tripolar analysis was carried out by applying sinusoidal voltages up to 1 V at the electrode interface. Tetrapolar analysis was carried on with sinusoidal field strengths from 0.1 V cm-1 to 70 V cm-1. Both analyses were performed within a frequency range from 1 Hz through 100 Hz. The harmonic amplitudes were Fourier-analyzed and expressed in dB. The third harmonic, as reported previously, was investigated. Statistical analysis (ANOVA) was used to test the effect of inhibitor an activator of the plasma membrane enzyme in the measured response. Results No significant non-linearities were observed in tetrapolar analysis, and no observable changes occurred when inhibitor and activator were added to the suspension. Statistical analysis confirmed these results. When a pure sinus voltage was applied to an electrode-yeast suspension interface, variations higher than 25 dB for the 3rd harmonic were observed. Variation higher than 20 dB in the 3rd harmonics has also been found when adding an inhibitor or activator of the membrane-bounded enzymes. These variations did not occur when the suspension was boiled. Discussion The lack of result in tetrapolar cells suggest that there is no, if any, harmonic generation in microbiological bulk suspension. The non-linear response observed was originated in the electrode-electrolyte interface. The frequency and voltage windows observed in previous tetrapolar analysis were repeated in the tripolar measurements, but maximum were not

Full Text Available Abstract Background Non-linear dielectric spectroscopy (NLDS of microorganism was characterized by the generation of harmonics in the polarization current when a microorganism suspension was exposed to a sinusoidal electric field. The biological nonlinear response initially described was not well verified by other authors and the results were susceptible to ambiguous interpretation. In this paper NLDS was performed to yeast suspension in tripolar and tetrapolar configuration with a recently developed analyzer. Methods Tripolar analysis was carried out by applying sinusoidal voltages up to 1 V at the electrode interface. Tetrapolar analysis was carried on with sinusoidal field strengths from 0.1 V cm-1 to 70 V cm-1. Both analyses were performed within a frequency range from 1 Hz through 100 Hz. The harmonic amplitudes were Fourier-analyzed and expressed in dB. The third harmonic, as reported previously, was investigated. Statistical analysis (ANOVA was used to test the effect of inhibitor an activator of the plasma membrane enzyme in the measured response. Results No significant non-linearities were observed in tetrapolar analysis, and no observable changes occurred when inhibitor and activator were added to the suspension. Statistical analysis confirmed these results. When a pure sinus voltage was applied to an electrode-yeast suspension interface, variations higher than 25 dB for the 3rd harmonic were observed. Variation higher than 20 dB in the 3rd harmonics has also been found when adding an inhibitor or activator of the membrane-bounded enzymes. These variations did not occur when the suspension was boiled. Discussion The lack of result in tetrapolar cells suggest that there is no, if any, harmonic generation in microbiological bulk suspension. The non-linear response observed was originated in the electrode-electrolyte interface. The frequency and voltage windows observed in previous tetrapolar analysis were repeated in the tripolar

As a critical component of transportation vehicles, active suspension systems are instrumental in the improvement of ride comfort and maneuverability. However, practical active suspensions commonly suffer from parameter uncertainties (e.g., the variations of payload mass and suspension component parameters), external disturbances and especially the unknown non-ideal actuators (i.e., dead-zone and hysteresis nonlinearities), which always significantly deteriorate the control performance in practice. To overcome these issues, this paper synthesizes an adaptive tracking control strategy for vehicle suspension systems to achieve suspensionperformance improvements. The proposed control algorithm is formulated by developing a unified framework of non-ideal actuators rather than a separate way, which is a simple yet effective approach to remove the unexpected nonlinear effects. From the perspective of practical implementation, the advantages of the presented controller for active suspensions include that the assumptions on the measurable actuator outputs, the prior knowledge of nonlinear actuator parameters and the uncertain parameters within a known compact set are not required. Furthermore, the stability of the closed-loop suspension system is theoretically guaranteed by rigorous mathematical analysis. Finally, the effectiveness of the presented adaptive control scheme is confirmed using comparative numerical simulation validations.

... AGRICULTURE PROTECTION OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESOURCES: UNIFORM REGULATIONS § 296.10 Suspension and revocation of... correct the situation which led to suspension of the permit. (b) Suspension or revocation for management...

... SUSPENSION OF THE PRIVATE EXPRESS STATUTES § 320.9 Revocation or amendment of suspensions. These suspensions... of operations (in dollar or volume terms, whichever is larger) lower than that antedating the...

We have examined the linear viscoelastic behavior of poly-N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) microgel suspensions in order to obtain insight in the aging processes in these densely packed suspensions at various temperatures below the volume transition temperature. The system is found to display a strong

An osmotic method for the consolidation of suspensions of ceramic particles is demonstrated. Concentrated solutions of poly(ethylene oxide) are separated from a suspension of ceramic particles by a semipermeable membrane, creating a gradient in solvent chemical potential. Solvent passes from the suspension into the polymer solution, lowering its free energy and consolidating the suspension. Dispersions of stable 8-nm hydrous zirconia particles were consolidated to over 47% by volume. Suspensions of α-alumina in three states of aggregation (dispersed, weakly flocculated, and strongly flocculated) were consolidated to densities greater than or equal to those produced in conventional pressure filtration. Moreover, the as-consolidated alumina bodies were partially drained of fluid during the osmotic consolidation process, producing cohesive partially dried bodies with improved handling characteristics

Vesicle suspensions appear in many biological and industrial applications. These suspensions are characterized by rich and complex dynamics of vesicles due to their interaction with the bulk fluid, and their large deformations and nonlinear elastic properties. Many existing state-of-the-art numerical schemes can resolve such complex vesicle flows. However, even when using provably optimal algorithms, these simulations can be computationally expensive, especially for suspensions with a large number of vesicles. These high computational costs can limit the use of simulations for parameter exploration, optimization, or uncertainty quantification. One way to reduce the cost is to use low-resolution discretizations in space and time. However, it is well-known that simply reducing the resolution results in vesicle collisions, numerical instabilities, and often in erroneous results. In this paper, we investigate the effect of a number of algorithmic empirical fixes (which are commonly used by many groups) in an attempt to make low-resolution simulations more stable and more predictive. Based on our empirical studies for a number of flow configurations, we propose a scheme that attempts to integrate these fixes in a systematic way. This low-resolution scheme is an extension of our previous work [51,53]. Our low-resolution correction algorithms (LRCA) include anti-aliasing and membrane reparametrization for avoiding spurious oscillations in vesicles' membranes, adaptive time stepping and a repulsion force for handling vesicle collisions and, correction of vesicles' area and arc-length for maintaining physical vesicle shapes. We perform a systematic error analysis by comparing the low-resolution simulations of dilute and dense suspensions with their high-fidelity, fully resolved, counterparts. We observe that the LRCA enables both efficient and statistically accurate low-resolution simulations of vesicle suspensions, while it can be 10× to 100× faster.

A state-of-the-art discussion on the applications of magneto-rheological (MR) suspensions for improving ride comfort, handling, and stability in ground vehicles is discussed for both road and rail applications. A historical perspective on the discovery and engineering development of MR fluids is presented, followed by some of the common methods for modelling their non-Newtonian behaviour. The common modes of the MR fluids are discussed, along with the application of the fluid in valve mode for ground vehicles' dampers (or shock absorbers). The applications span across nearly all road vehicles, including automobiles, trains, semi-trucks, motorcycles, and even bicycles. For each type of vehicle, the results of some of the past studies is presented briefly, with reference to the originating study. It is discussed that Past experimental and modelling studies have indicated that MR suspensions provide clear advantages for ground vehicles that far surpasses the performance of passive suspension. For rail vehicles, the primary advantage is in terms of increasing the speed at which the onset of hunting occurs, whereas for road vehicles - mainly automobiles - the performance improvements are in terms of a better balance between vehicle ride, handling, and stability. To further elaborate on this point, a single-suspension model is used to develop an index-based approach for studying the compromise that is offered by vehicle suspensions, using the H2 optimisation approach. Evaluating three indices based on the sprung-mass acceleration, suspension rattlespace, and tyre deflection, it is clearly demonstrated that MR suspensions significantly improve road vehicle's ride comfort, stability, and handling in comparison with passive suspensions. For rail vehicles, the simulation results indicate that using MR suspensions with an on-off switching control can increase the speed at which the on-set of hunting occurs by as much as 50% to more than 300%.

We investigate the flow behavior of dense granular suspensions, by the use of an inclined plane. The suspensions are prepared at high packing fractions and consist of spherical non-Brownian particles density matched with the suspending fluid. On the inclined plane, we perform a systematic study of the surface velocity as a function of the layer thickness for various flow rates and tilt angles. We perform measurements on a classical rheometer (parallel-plate rheometer) that is shown to be in good agreement with existing models, up to a volume fraction of 50%. Comparing these results, we show that the flow on an inclined plane can, up to a volume fraction of 50%, indeed be described by a purely viscous model in agreement with the results from classical rheometry.

The flow of a charged-stabilized suspension through a single constricted channel is studied experimentally by tracking the particles individually. Surprisingly, the behavior is found to be qualitatively similar to that of inertial dry granular systems: For small values of the neck-to-particle size ratio (D /d reported for granular systems and agree for moderate particle volume fraction (ϕ ≈20 % ) with a simple stochastic model for the number of particles at the neck. For larger neck sizes (D /d >3 ), even at the largest ϕ (≈60 %) achievable in the experiments, an uninterrupted particle flow is observed, which resembles that of an hourglass. This particularly small value of D /d (≃3 ) at the transition to a practically uninterrupted flow is attributed to the low effective friction between the particles, achieved by the particle's functionalization and lubrication.

This research project has the objective to extend the range of application, improve the efficiency and conduct simulations with the Fast Lubrication Dynamics (FLD) algorithm for concentrated particle suspensions in a Newtonian fluid solvent. The research involves a combination of mathematical development, new computational algorithms, and application to processing flows of relevance in materials processing. The mathematical developments clarify the underlying theory, facilitate verification against classic monographs in the field and provide the framework for a novel parallel implementation optimized for an OpenMP shared memory environment. The project considered application to consolidation flows of major interest in high throughput materials processing and identified hitherto unforeseen challenges in the use of FLD in these applications. Extensions to the algorithm have been developed to improve its accuracy in these applications.

Since 1963 the Atomic Division of SNECMA has been conducting, under a contract with the CEA, an experimental work with a two-component fluid comprised of carbon dioxide and small graphite particles. The primary purpose was the determination of basic engineering information pertaining to the stability and the flowability of the suspension. The final form of the experimental loop consists mainly of the following items: a light-phase compressor, a heavy-phase pump, an electrical-resistance type heater section, a cooling heat exchanger, a hairpin loop, a transparent test section and a separator. During the course of the testing, it was observed that the fluid could be circulated quite easily in a broad range of variation of the suspension density and velocity - density from 30 to 170 kg/m 3 and velocity from 2 to 24 m/s. The system could be restarted and circulation maintained without any difficulty, even with the heavy-phase pump alone. The graphite did not have a tendency to pack or agglomerate during operation. No graphite deposition was observed on the wall of the tubing. A long period run (250 hours) has shown the evolution of the particle dimensions. Starting with graphite of surface area around 20 m 2 /g (graphite particles about 1 μ), the powder surface area reaches an asymptotic value of 300 m 2 /g (all the particles less than 0.3 μ). Moisture effect on flow stability, flow distribution between two parallel channels, pressure drop in straight tubes, recompression ratio in diffusers were also investigated. (author) [fr

Proton spectroscopy with linewidth measurements and MR imaging were performed on various commercially available barium sulfate suspensions as well as inorganic sulfates and barium salts. Approximately 500 mL of 20%, 40%, 60%, and 70% wt/wt single-contrast oral barium sulfate suspensions were administered to four normal volunteers, and MR imaging was performed with both a 1.5-T and a 0.15-T MR imager. As much as 80% of the small bowel and the entire colon were well visualized with the 60% or 70% wt/wt single-contrast barium sulfate suspensions. The authors conclude that barium sulfate suspensions are useful as oral MR contrast agents

Based on the order relation analysis method (G1 method), the optimal linear controller of vehicle active suspension is designed. The system of the main and passive suspension of the single wheel vehicle is modeled and the system input signal model is determined. Secondly, the system motion state space equation is established by the kinetic knowledge and the optimal linear controller design is completed with the optimal control theory. The weighting coefficient of the performance index coefficients of the main passive suspension is determined by the relational analysis method. Finally, the model is simulated in Simulink. The simulation results show that: the optimal weight value is determined by using the sequence relation analysis method under the condition of given road conditions, and the vehicle acceleration, suspension stroke and tire motion displacement are optimized to improve the comprehensive performance of the vehicle, and the active control is controlled within the requirements.

Full Text Available The performance of high-speed spindle directly determines the development of high-end machine tools. The cutting system's dynamic characteristics and vibration control effect are inseparable with the performance of the spindle,which influence each other, synergistic effect together the cutting efficiency, the surface quality of the workpiece and tool life in machining process. So, the review status on magnetic suspension motorized spindle, magnetic suspension bearing-flexible rotor system dynamics modeling theory and status of active control technology of flexible magnetic suspension motorized spindle rotor vibration are studied, and the problems which present in the magnetic suspension flexible motorized spindle rotor systems are refined, and the development trend of magnetic levitation motorized spindle and the application prospect is forecasted.

Full Text Available In view of the performance requirements (e.g., ride comfort, road holding, and suspension space limitation for vehicle suspension systems, this paper proposes an adaptive optimal control method for quarter-car active suspension system by using the approximate dynamic programming approach (ADP. Online optimal control law is obtained by using a single adaptive critic NN to approximate the solution of the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman (HJB equation. Stability of the closed-loop system is proved by Lyapunov theory. Compared with the classic linear quadratic regulator (LQR approach, the proposed ADP-based adaptive optimal control method demonstrates improved performance in the presence of parametric uncertainties (e.g., sprung mass and unknown road displacement. Numerical simulation results of a sedan suspension system are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

To study the in vitro antibacterial activities of mucoadhesive suspensions containing Ciprofloxacin, three different formulations were prepared by using three polymers, such as Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) (S1), Carbapol934 (S2) and Carbapol940 (S3), along with some common ingredients (bases). For the investigation, agar well diffusion method was performed taking Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922). Apart from S. aureus, S1 and Cipro...

Full Text Available Maglev suspension system is the core part of maglev train. In the practical application, the load uncertainties, inherent nonlinearity, and misalignment between sensors and actuators are the main issues that should be solved carefully. In order to design a suitable controller, the attention is paid to the fractional order controller. Firstly, the mathematical model of a single electromagnetic suspension unit is derived. Then, considering the limitation of the traditional PD controller adaptation, the fractional order controller is developed to obtain more excellent suspension specifications and robust performance. In reality, the nonlinearity affects the structure and the precision of the model after linearization, which will degrade the dynamic performance. So, a fractional order controller is addressed to eliminate the disturbance by adjusting the parameters which are added by the fractional order controller. Furthermore, the controller based on LQR is employed to compare with the fractional order controller. Finally, the performance of them is discussed by simulation. The results illustrated the validity of the fractional order controller.

Full Text Available The aim is to determine weight suspension rigidity in aggregates designed to perform technological transport-erector operations at the miscellaneous launch complexes.We consider the weight suspension comprising the following distinctive structural components: the executive weight-lowering mechanism, polyspast mechanism, rope, traverse, and rods. A created structural dynamic model of suspension allowed us to define weight suspension rigidity. Within the framework of design analysis of a dynamic model we determined the rigidity of its structural units, i.e. traverse, rope, and polyspast.Known analytical relationships were used to calculate the rope rigidity. To determine rigidity of polyspast and traverse have been created special models based on the finite element method. For each model deformation in the specific points under the test load have been defined. Data obtained were used to determine trigidity of traverses and polyspast, and also rigidity of suspension in total. The rigidity models of polispast mechanism and traverse have been developed and calculated using the software complex "Zenit-95".As the research results, the paper presents a dynamic model of the weight suspension of the transport-erector aggregate, the finite element models of the polispast mechanism and traverse, an algorithm for determining the weight suspension rigidity and relevant analytical relationships.Independent calculation of weight suspension rigidity enables us to simplify further dynamic calculation of the aggregate-weight system because it allows attaining a simpler model of the aggregate-weight system that uses the weight suspension model as an element of equivalent rigidity. Despite this simplification the model allows us to determine correctly weight movement parameters and overloads in the aggregate-weight system in the process of technical operations.

Full Text Available The paper deals with the investigation of active nonlinear suspension control in order to stabilize the lateral vehicle motion in similar way as systems like ESP do. The lateral stabilization of vehicle based on braking forces can be alternatively provided by the different setting of suspension forces. The basis of this control is the nonlinear property of the tyres. The vehicle has at least four wheels and it gives one or more redundant vertical forces that can be used for the different distribution of vertical suspension forces in such a way that resulting lateral and/or longitudinal forces create the required correction moment for lateral dynamic vehicle stabilization.

We introduce the working principles of the VIRGO Low Frequency Facility (LFF), whose main aim is the measurement of the thermal noise in the VIRGO suspension system. We evaluate the displacement thermal noise of a mirror, which is an intermediate element of a double pendulum suspension system. This double pendulum will be suspended to the last stage of a VIRGO Super-Attenuator (SA), the prototype VIRGO suspension system being tested at the Pisa section of INFN. In the proposed configuration, we evaluate the spectrum of the thermal noise for different choices of the parameters: based on this study, we comment on the future directions to be undertaken in the LFF experiment.

In this paper, a disturbance observer based Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy controller is proposed for an active seat suspension; both simulations and experiments have been performed verifying the performance enhancement and stability of the proposed controller. The controller incorporates closed-loop feedback control using the measured acceleration of the seat and deflection of the suspension; these two variables can be easily measured in practical applications, thus allowing the proposed controller to be robust and adaptable. A disturbance observer that can estimate the disturbance caused by friction, model simplification, and controller output error has also been used to compensate a H∞ state feedback controller. The TS fuzzy control method is applied to enhance the controller's performance by considering the variation of driver's weight during operation. The vibration of a heavy duty vehicle seat is largest in the frequency range between 2 Hz and 4 Hz, in the vertical direction; therefore, it is reasonable to focus on controlling low frequency vibration amplitudes and maintain the seat suspensions passivity at high frequency. Moreover, both the simulation and experimental results show that the active seat suspension with the proposed controller can effectively isolate unwanted vibration amplitudes below 4.5 Hz, when compared with a well-tuned passive seat suspension. The active controller has been further validated under bump and random road tests with both a 55 kg and a 70 kg loads. The bump road test demonstrated the controller has good transient response capabilities. The random road test result has been presented both in the time domain and the frequency domain. When with the above two loads, the controlled seat suspensions root-mean-square (RMS) accelerations were reduced by 45.5% and 49.5%, respectively, compared with a well-tuned passive seat suspension. The proposed active seat suspension controller has great potential and is very practical for application

Several R and D programmes are ongoing to develop the next generation of interferometric gravitational wave detectors providing the superior sensitivity desired for refined astronomical observations. In order to obtain a wide observation band at low frequencies, the optics need to be isolated from the seismic noise. The TAMA SAS (seismic attenuation system) has been developed within an international collaboration between TAMA, LIGO, and some European institutes, with the main objective of achieving sufficient low-frequency seismic attenuation (-180 dB at 10 HZ). The system suppresses seismic noise well below the other noise levels starting at very low frequencies above 10 Hz. It also includes an active inertial damping system to decrease the residual motion of the optics enough to allow a stable operation of the interferometer. The TAMA SAS also comprises a sophisticated mirror suspension subsystem (SUS). The SUS provides support for the optics and vibration isolation complementing the SAS performance. The SUS is equipped with a totally passive magnetic damper to suppress internal resonances without degrading the thermal noise performance. In this paper we discuss the SUS details and present prototype results

We have concentrated on developing prototype lengths of bismuth and thallium based silver sheathed superconductors by the powder-in-tube approach to fabricate high temperature superconducting (HTS) components for magnetic suspension applications. Long lengths of mono and multi filament tapes are presently being fabricated with critical current densities useful for maglev and many other applications. We have recently demonstrated the prototype manufacture of lengths exceeding 1 km of Bi-2223 multi filament conductor. Long lengths of thallium based multi-filament conductor have also been fabricated with practical levels of critical current density and improved field dependence behavior. Test coils and magnets have been built from these lengths and characterized over a range of temperatures and background fields to determine their performance. Work is in progress to develop, fabricate and test HTS windings that will be suitable for magnetic suspension, levitation and other electric power related applications.

GEO 600 uses two 8 m triangular ring cavities as a modecleaner system for the stabilization of the laser. To isolate the cavities with respect to the seismic noise the optical components are suspended as double pendulums. The resonances of these pendulums are damped by a local-control loop via magnet-coil actuators acting on the intermediate masses. The suspension scheme and the measured key data (i.e. finesse, linewidth, visibility, throughput and in-lock durations of the cavities, as well as the isolation performance and the resulting frequency stability) of the modecleaner system will be given in this paper. Furthermore an overview of the GEO 600 interferometer suspension will be given.

A 6-meter prototype cryogenic transfer line with magnetic suspension was tested for its mechanical and thermal performance at the Cryogenics Test Laboratory of NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC). A test facility with two cryogenic end-boxes was designed and commissioned for the testing. Suspension mechanisms were verified through a series of tests with liquid nitrogen. The thermal performance of the prototype was determined using the new test apparatus. The tested prototype has incorporated temperature and vacuum pressure data acquisition ports, customized interfaces to cryogenic end-boxes, and instrumentation. All tests were conducted under simulated onsite transfer line working conditions. A static (boiloff rate measurement) testing method was employed to demonstrate the gross heat leak in the tested article. The real-time temperature distribution, vacuum level, levitation distance, and mass flow rate were measured. The main purpose of this paper is to summarize the testing facility design and preparation, test procedure, and primary test results. Special arrangements (such as turning on/off mechanical support units, observing levitation gap, and setting up the flowmeter) in testing of such a magnetically levitated transfer line are also discussed. Preliminary results show that the heat leak reduction of approximately one-third to one-half is achievable through such transfer lines with a magnetic suspension system.

Dynamic circuit theory is applied to several magnetic suspensions associated with maglev systems. These suspension systems are the loop-shaped coil guideway, the figure-eight-shaped null-flux coil guideway, and the continuous sheet guideway. Mathematical models, which can be used for the development of computer codes, are provided for each of these suspension systems. The differences and similarities of the models in using dynamic circuit theory are discussed in the paper. The paper emphasizes the transient and dynamic analysis and computer simulation of maglev systems. In general, the method discussed here can be applied to many electrodynamic suspension system design concepts. It is also suited for the computation of the performance of maglev propulsion systems. Numerical examples are presented in the paper.

In this paper, an adaptive sliding controller is developed for controlling a vehicle active suspension system. The functional approximation technique is employed to substitute the unknown non-autonomous functions of the suspension system and release the model-based requirement of sliding mode control algorithm. In order to improve the control performance and reduce the implementation problem, a fuzzy strategy with online learning ability is added to compensate the functional approximation error. The update laws of the functional approximation coefficients and the fuzzy tuning parameters are derived from the Lyapunov theorem to guarantee the system stability. The proposed controller is implemented on a quarter-car hydraulic actuating active suspension system test-rig. The experimental results show that the proposed controller suppresses the oscillation amplitude of the suspension system effectively.

Discusses a course focusing on fluid mechanics and physical chemistry of suspensions. Describes the main themes of the lectures and includes a list of course outlines. Possible textbooks and many journal articles are listed. (YP)

Heat and Mass Transfer in Particulate Suspensions is a critical review of the subject of heat and mass transfer related to particulate Suspensions, which include both fluid-particles and fluid-droplet Suspensions. Fundamentals, recent advances and industrial applications are examined. The subject of particulate heat and mass transfer is currently driven by two significant applications: energy transformations –primarily combustion – and heat transfer equipment. The first includes particle and droplet combustion processes in engineering Suspensions as diverse as the Fluidized Bed Reactors (FBR’s) and Internal Combustion Engines (ICE’s). On the heat transfer side, cooling with nanofluids, which include nanoparticles, has attracted a great deal of attention in the last decade both from the fundamental and the applied side and has produced several scientific publications. A monograph that combines the fundamentals of heat transfer with particulates as well as the modern applications of the subject would be...

Full Text Available A significant distinction between competitive mountain bikes is whether they have a suspension system. Research studies indicate that a suspension system gives advantages, but it is difficult to quantify the benefits because they depend on so many variables, including the physiology and psychology of the cyclist, the roughness of the track and the design of the suspension system. A laboratory based test rig has been built that allows the number of variables in the system to be reduced and test conditions to be controlled. The test rig simulates regular impacts of the rear wheel with bumps in a rolling road. The physiological variables of oxygen consumption and heart rate were measured, together with speeds and forces at various points in the system. Physiological and mechanical test results both confirm a significant benefit in using a suspension system on the simulated rough track, with oxygen consumption reduced by around 30 % and power transmitted through the pedals reduced by 30 % to 60 %.

and the equations of poroelasticity, while the equations of colloid physics govern processes in the suspension. We derive new equations describing this process, including unique boundary conditions coupling the two regions, yielding a moving-boundary model

Nowadays, a very large proportion of new drug candidates emerging from drug discovery programmes are water insoluble and thus poorly bioavailable. To avoid this problem, nano technology for drug delivery has gained much interest as a way to improve the solubility problems. Nano refers to particles size range of 1-1000 nm. The reduction of drug particles into the submicron range leads to a significant increase in the dissolution rate and therefore enhances bioavailability. Nanosuspensions are part of nano technology. This interacts with the body at subcellular (i.e., molecular) scales with a high degree of specificity and can be potentially translated into targeted cellular and tissue-specific clinical applications designed to achieve maximal therapeutic efficacy with minimal side effects. Production of drugs as nanosuspensions can be developed for drug delivery systems as an oral formulation and no noral administration. Here, this review describes the methods of pharmaceutical nano suspension production including advantages and disadvantages, potential benefits, characterization tests, and pharmaceutical applications in drug delivery

A description is presented of a nuclear fuel pin suspension arrangement comprising, in combination, a rod; a first beam member connected to said rod at one end; a plurality of parallel-spaced slidable fuel support plates attached to said first beam member, the longitudinal axis of first beam member being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each of said fuel support plates, a first coupling means disposed along the length of the first beam member for permitting slidable fuel support plates parallel movement with respect to the longitudinal axis of said first beam member, a second coupling means located at one end of each of slidable fuel plates for slidably engaging first coupling means of first beam member, a second beam member connected to the other end of each of parallel-spaced slidable fuel support plates and providing an extension, second beam member being provided with a third coupling means disposed along the length of second beam member at one end thereof; and a plurality of fuel pins provided with a fourth coupling means located at one end of each fuel pin for slidably engaging third coupling means of second beam member to permit each fuel pin parallel movement with respect to the longitudinal axis of second beam member. (U.S.)

Surface chemical reactions play a major role in controlling contaminant fate and transport in the subsurface environment. Recent field and laboratory evidence suggests that mobile soil and groundwater colloids may facilitate the migration of sparingly soluble groundwater contaminants. Colloidal suspensions collected in the field or generated in laboratory column experiments tend to be fairly dilute in nature and comprised of relatively small particulates (reserved for studying ideal systems to the characterization of mobile colloids. However, many of these analytical techniques, including total/selective dissolution methods, dynamic light scattering, micro-electrophoresis, streaming potential, and even scanning electron microscopy (SEM), can be biased in of larger size fractions, and therefore, extremely sensitive to sampling, storage, and fractionation artifacts. In addition, surface modifiers such as sorbed oxides or organics can alter particulate appearance, composition, and behavior when compared to synthetic analogues or mineral standards. The current presentation will discuss the limitations and inherent biases associated with a number of analytical characterization techniques that are commonly applied to the study of mobile soil and groundwater colloids, including field flow fractionation (FFF) and acoustic based methods that have only recently become available.

Abstract Generally compressed air is produced using different types of air compressors which consumes lot of electric energy and is noisy. In this paper an innovative idea is put forth for production of compressed air using movement of vehicle suspension which normal is wasted. The conversion of the force energy into the compressed air is carried out by the mechanism which consists of the vehicle suspension system hydraulic cylinder Non-return valve air compressor and air receiver. We are co...

Designs and analyses of seat-suspension systems are invariably performed considering effective vertical spring rate and damping properties, while neglecting important contributions due to kinematics of the widely used cross-linkage mechanism. In this study, a kineto-dynamic model of a seat-suspension is formulated to obtain relations for effective vertical suspension stiffness and damping characteristics as functions of those of the air spring and the hydraulic damper, respectively. The proposed relations are verified through simulations of the multi-body dynamic model of the cross-linkage seat-suspension in the ADAMS platform. The validity of the kineto-dynamic model is also demonstrated through comparisons of its vibration transmission response with the experimental data. The model is used to identify optimal air spring coordinates to attain nearly constant natural frequency of the suspension, irrespective of the seated body mass and seated height. A methodology is further proposed to identify optimal damping requirements for vehicle-specific suspension designs to achieve minimal seat effective amplitude transmissibility (SEAT) and vibration dose value (VDV) considering vibration spectra of different classes of earthmoving vehicles. The shock and vibration isolation performance potentials of the optimal designs are evaluated under selected vehicle vibration superimposed with shock motions. Results show that the vehicle-specific optimal designs could provide substantial reductions in the SEAT and VDV values for the vehicle classes considered.

We review the sequences of structural states that can be induced in colloidal suspensions by the application of flow. Structure formation during flow is strongly affected by the delicate balance among interparticle forces, Brownian motion and hydrodynamic interactions. The resulting non-equilibrium microstructure is in turn a principal determinant of the suspension rheology. Colloidal suspensions with near hard-sphere interactions develop an anisotropic, amorphous structure at low dimensionless shear rates. At high rates, clustering due to strong hydrodynamic forces leads to shear thickening rheology. Application of steady-shear flow to suspensions with repulsive interactions induces a rich sequence of transitions to one-, two-and three-dimensional order. Oscillatory-shear flow generates metastable ordering in suspensions with equilibrium liquid structure. On the other hand, short-range attractive interactions can lead to a fluid-to-gel transition under quiescent suspensions. Application of flow leads to orientation, breakup, densification and spatial reorganization of aggregates. Using a non-Newtonian suspending medium leads to additional possibilities for organization. We examine the extent to which theory and simulation have yielded mechanistic understanding of the microstructural transitions that have been observed. (topical review)

An acoustic contacless manipulation gives advantages in the exploration of the complex dynamics enviroment that active matter exhibits. Our works reports the control confinement and dispersion of Escherichia coliRP437-pZA3R-YFP suspensions (M9Glu-Ca) via acoustic levitation.The manipulation of the bacteria bath in a parallel plate resonator is achieved using the acoustic radiation force and the secondary radiation force. The primary radiation force generates levitation of the bacteria cells at the nodal plane of the ultrasonic standing wave generated inside the resonator. On the other side, secondary forces leads to the consolidation of stable aggregates. All the experiments were performed in the acoustic trap described, where we excite the emission plate with a continuous sinusoidal signal at a frequency in the order of MHz and a quartz slide as the reflector plate. In a typical experiment we observed that, before the input of the signal, the bacteria cells exhibit their typical run and tumble behavior and after the sound is turned on all of them displace towards the nodal plane, and instantaneously the aggregation begins in this region. CNRS French National Space Studies, CONACYT Mexico.

Electromagnetic actuators that use a current-carrying coil (which is placed in a magnetic field) to generate mechanical force are conceptually attractive components for active control of rotating shafts. In one concept that is being tested in the laboratory, the control forces from such actuators are applied on the flexibly supported bearing housings of the rotor. Development of this concept into a practical reality requires a clear and thorough understanding of the role of electromechanical parameters of these actuators in delivering the right amount of control force at the right phase into the rotor. The electromechanical parameters of the actuators investigated are the mass of the armature, stiffness of its suspension, electrical resistance, and inductance of the coils. Improper selection of these parameters can result in degradation in their performance, leading to mistuning between the actuator and the rotor. Through a simple analysis, it is shown that use of such mistuned actuators could result in sharp fluctuations in the phase of the control force delivered into the rotor around the critical speeds. These sharp fluctuations in phase, called 'Phase Glitches', are undesirable. Hence, future designs of controllers should take into account the undesirable mistuning effects between the actuator and the rotor caused by the phase glitches.

A kind of novel surfactant with star-like molecular structure and terminated sulfonate was synthesized, and it was used as the dispersant for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in aqueous suspensions compared with a traditional single-chained surfactant. The star-like surfactant showed good dispersing ability for multi-walled CNTs in aqueous suspensions. Surface tension analysis, total organic carbon analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, zeta potential, dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy were performed to research the effect of star-like surfactant on the dispersion of multi-walled CNTs in aqueous suspensions. With the assistance of star-like surfactant, the CNTs could disperse well in aqueous suspension at high concentration of 50 g/L for more than 30 days, while the CNTs precipitated completely in aqueous suspension after 1 day without any dispersant or after 10 days with sodium 4-dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid as dispersant.

The physical and chemical short-term stability of alcohol-free, oral suspensions of phenobarbital 10 mg/mL prepared from commercially available tablets in both a sugar and a sugar-free vehicle was assessed at room temperature. Phenobarbital oral suspension 10 mg/mL was prepared by crushing 10 60-mg tablets of phenobarbital with a mortar and pestle. A small amount of Ora-Plus was added to the phenobarbital powder to sufficiently wet the particles. A 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF was combined with the phenobarbital powder to produce a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of each of the two different formulations were prepared and stored at room temperature in 2-oz amber plastic bottles. Immediately after preparation and at 15, 30, 60, and 115 days, the samples were assayed in duplicate by stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography. The samples were tasted and inspected for color and odor changes. The percent of the initial concentration remaining at each study time for each phenobarbital suspension was determined. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, and taste and no visible microbial growth in any sample. At least 98% of the initial phenobarbital concentration remained throughout the 115-day study period in both preparations. An extemporaneously prepared alcohol-free suspension of phenobarbital 10 mg/mL in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF was stable for at least 115 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

Data from the West Virginia Department of Education reveals that from September 1991 to January 1992, school districts reported 18,915 out-of-school suspensions involving 12,997 students. In 1995, the West Virginia State Legislature enacted the Safe Schools Act, which specifically mandates suspension for no less than 12 consecutive months for…

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the electrophoretic clarification rate of colloidal suspensions was conducted. The suspensions included a coal-washing effluent and a model system of TiO{sub 2} particles. A parametric study of TiO{sub 2} suspensions was performed to validate and analysis of the electrophoretic motion of the clarification front formed between a clear zone and the suspension. To measure the electric field strength needed in the prediction of the location of the front, a moveable probe and salt bridge were connected to a reference electrode. Using the measured electric field strengths, it was found that the numerical solution to the unit cell electrophoresis model agrees with the measured clarification rates. For suspensions with moderately thick electric double layers and high particle volume fractions the deviations from classical Smoluchowski theory are substantial, and the numerical analysis is in somewhat better agreement with the data than a prior solution of the problem. The numerical model reduces to the predictions of previous theories as the thickness of the electric double layer decreases, and it is in good agreement with the clarification rate measured for a coal-washing effluent suspension with thin electric double layers.

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the electrophoretic clarification rate of colloidal suspensions was conducted. The suspensions included a coal-washing effluent and a model system of TiO{sub 2} particles. A parametric study of TiO{sub 2} suspensions was performed to validate an analysis of the electrophoretic motion of the clarification front formed between a clear zone and the suspension. To measure the electric field strength needed in the prediction of the location of the front, a moveable probe and salt bridge were connected to a reference electrode. Using the measured electric field strength, it was found that the numerical solution to the unit cell electrophoresis model agrees with the measured clarification rates. For suspensions with moderately thick electric double layers and high particle volume fractions the deviations from classical Smoluchowski theory are substantial, and the numerical analysis is in somewhat better agreement with the data than a prior solution of the problem. The numerical model reduces to the predictions of previous theories as the thickness of the electric double layer decreases, and it is in good agreement with the clarification rate measured for a coal-washing effluent suspension with thin electric double layers. 21 refs., 8 figs., 4 tabs.

The article is devoted to the topical issue, which is related to simulation of the failures of drives suspensions of the conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive. Using the developed mathematical model of the failures drives suspensions due to jamming rollers to the reference design of conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive is performed modelling of dynamic characteristics. Investigation of the influence of the location of the failed drives suspensions on the track on th...

The viscoelastic properties of high pressure homogenized lemon peel cell wall fiber suspensions, obtained after sequential selective pectin extraction, were investigated in the current study. For comparison, a general pectin extraction was additionally performed on lemon peel under acid thermal

To report a new technique for unilateral brow suspension for facial paralysis that is minimally invasive, limits supraciliary scar formation, does not require specialized endoscopic equipment or expertise, and has proved to be equal to direct brow suspension in durability and symmetry. Retrospective survey of a case series of 23 patients between January 1997 and December 2000. Metropolitan tertiary care center. Patients with head and neck tumors and brow ptosis caused by facial nerve paralysis. The results of the procedure were determined using the following 3-tier rating system: outstanding (excellent elevation and symmetry); acceptable (good elevation and fair symmetry); and unacceptable (loss of elevation). The results were considered outstanding in 12 patients, acceptable in 9 patients, and unacceptable in only 1 patient. One patient developed a hematoma, and 1 patient required a secondary adjustment. The technique has proved to be superior to standard brow suspension procedures with regard to scar formation and equal with respect to facial symmetry and suspension. These results have caused us to abandon direct brow suspension and to use this minimally invasive method in all cases of brow ptosis due to facial paralysis.

Full Text Available Mixing suspensions is a very important hydraulic operation. The pitched six-blade turbine is a widely-used axial-flow impeller. This paper deals with effect relative impeller size and particle content on theefficiency of a pitched six-blade turbine at particle suspension. Two pitched six-blade turbines were used in model measurements of just suspension impeller speed. The ratios of the vessel to agitator diameter D/d were 3 and 4.5. The measurements were carried out in a dish-bottomed vessel 300 mm in diameter. The just suspension impeller speeds were measured using an electrochemical method, and were checked visually. A 2.5 % NaCl water solution was used as the liquid phase, and glass particles with four equivalent diameters between 0.18 and 0.89 mmand volumetric concentration from 2.5 % to 40% were usedasthesolid phase. The criterion values πs=Po√Fr'3(d/D7 were calculated from the particle suspension and power consumption measurements. The dependencies of πs on particle content cv show that larger agitators are more efficient for higher particle content.

Full Text Available This work focuses on difficulties an analyst encounters when modeling suspension and continuation of a process in contemporary process modeling languages. As a basis there is introduced general lifecycle of an activity which is then compared to activity lifecycles supported by individual process modeling languages. The comparison shows that the contemporary process modeling languages cover the defined general lifecycle of an activity only partially. There are picked two popular process modeling languages and there is modeled real example, which reviews how the modeling languages can get along with their lack of native support of suspension and continuation of an activity. Upon the unsatisfying results of the contemporary process modeling languages in the modeled example, there is presented a new process modeling language which, as demonstrated, is capable of capturing suspension and continuation of an activity in much simpler and precise way.

Phagocytosis in vivo and in vitro of a suspension of chromic phosphate (III) labeled with 51 Cr and 32 P is studied. The radioactive particles dispersed in a media of 2 % gelatin in acetate buffer pH 4-4.5 have a predominant size of 0.8 μm and 5 μm. According with biodistribution experiments in rats after 30 minutes near the 80 % of radioactivity is registered in the liver, probably associated with phagocytosis of the particles by liver Kupffer cells. Is also showed that the suspension particles are phagocytized in vitro by mouse peritoneal macrophages. This facts indicate that the studied suspension have appropriate characteristics to be used in radiosynoviorthesis according to the principal action mechanism described for this procedure, particles phagocytosis by cells present in the inflamed synovium. (author)

Full Text Available The atmospheric re-suspension of radionuclides is a well-known phenomenon that consists in the re-injection into the atmosphere of previously deposited radioactivity. The process is driven by the action of wind on surfaces and can act as an additional source of radiation exposure by inhalation, after the deposition has finished. It is thus defined as the re-suspension factor, a parameter K generally considered as a time depending function and defined as the ratio of Ca, the volumetric air activity concentration (Bq m−3 and I0 (Bq m−2, the radioactivity deposition at time zero. The re-suspension factor concept is very useful in radioprotection in order to estimate the inhalation of radionuclides re-suspended from contaminated surfaces when direct atmospheric measurements are lacking or difficult to perform. However, the choice of the proper values of K is usually not a simple task, being quite site-specific and related to the meteorological, géomorphologie and environmental characteristics of the area to be studied. Moreover, several investigations showed clearly that the values of K are a decreasing function of time. For that reason, K values span several orders of magnitude: typical values in the range 10−5–10−10 m−1 are reported in literature for different environmental conditions and time elapsed since the deposition event. The current available models for the re-suspension factor are based on empirical formulas whose parameters are highly site dependent and cannot easily be related to some physical quantity. In this paper a simple physical model for the re-suspension factor is proposed and tested with available environmental radioactivity data (137Cs, collected since 1986 (Chernobyl fallout. The new model not only allows a satisfactory description of the experimental data like even the current empirical models do, but it is also able to connect the K values to quantities with a physical meaning (such as, for example a diffusion

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the kinematic performance of students’ racing car, namely UTeM’s FV Malaysia Electric Vehicle. An elasto-kinematic analysis approach is used to predict the car’s performance during straight line drive and curvature drive. Two suspension design factors

The materials in this document are an extension of a catalog of occupational duties, tasks, and performance objectives relevant to maintaining automotive suspension systems, brakes, and steering mechanisms. This document provides the following for each occupational task within each duty: (1) a standard of performance; (2) the conditions under…

The article is devoted to the current condition of car’s active suspension system. It presents the tendencies in development of the active systems of suspension system, adjustable elements incorporated in them and the companies succeeded in designing such systems. It also mirrors the problem of impact of active systems on car’s safety and their importance for the driver. Advantages and disadvantages of the most common types of active elements are being described, analyzed and compared. The author concludes about the perspectives of these systems’ development.

Full Text Available Rheological properties of dense flows of hard particles are singular as one approaches the jamming threshold where flow ceases, both for granular flows dominated by inertia, and for over-damped suspensions. Concomitantly, the lengthscale characterizing velocity correlations appears to diverge at jamming. Here we review a theoretical framework that gives a scaling description of stationary flows of frictionless particles. Our analysis applies both to suspensions and inertial flows of hard particles. We report numerical results in support of the theory, and show the phase diagram that results when friction is added, delineating the regime of validity of the frictionless theory.

Full Text Available The study analyses application possibilities of filtration and thickening models in evaluation of papermaking suspension drainage rate. The authors proposed their own method to estimate the drainage rate on the basis of an existing Ergun capillary model of liquid flow through a granular material. The proposed model was less sensitive to porosity changes than the Ergun model. An empirical verification proved robustness of the proposed approach. Taking into account discrepancies in the published data concerning how the drainage velocity of papermaking suspension is defined, this study examines which of the commonly applied models matches experimental results the best.

Colloidal processing is an effective and reliable approach in the fabrication of the advanced ceramic products. Successful colloidal processing of fine ceramic powders requires accurate control of the rheological properties. The accurate control relies on the understanding the influences of various colloidal parameters on the rheological properties. Almost all research done on the rheology paid less attention to the interactions of particle and solvent. However, the interactions of the particles are usually built up through the media in which the particles are suspended. Therefore, interactions of the particle with the media, the adsorbed layers on the particle surface, and chemical and physical properties of media themselves must influence the rheology of the suspension, especially for the dense suspensions containing nanosized particles. Relatively little research work has been reported in this area. This thesis addresses the rheological properties of nanometric alumina aqueous suspensions, and paying more attention to the interactions between particle and solvent, which in turn influence the particle-particle interactions. Dense nanometric alumina aqueous suspensions with low viscosity were achieved by environmentally-benign fructose additives. The rheology of nanometric alumina aqueous suspensions and its variation with the particle volume fraction and concentration of fructose were explored by rheometry. The adsorptions of solute (fructose) and solvent (water) on the nanometric alumina particle surfaces were measured and analyzed by TG/DSC, TOC, and NMR techniques. The mobility of water molecules in the suspensions and its variation with particle volume fractions and fructose additive were determined by the 17O NMR relaxation method. The interactions between the nanometric alumina particles in water and fructose solutions were investigated by AFM. The results indicated that a large number of water layers were physically bound on the particles

We report on the construction of a Fourier plane imaging system attached to a cell phone. By illuminating particle suspensions with a collimated beam from an inexpensive diode laser, angularly resolved scattering patterns are imaged by the phone's camera. Analyzing these patterns with Mie theory results in predictions of size distributions of the particles in suspension. Despite using consumer grade electronics, we extracted size distributions of sphere suspensions with better than 20 nm accuracy in determining the mean size. We also show results from milk, yeast, and blood cells. Performing these measurements on a portable device presents opportunities for field-testing of food quality, process monitoring, and medical diagnosis.

Full Text Available We report on the construction of a Fourier plane imaging system attached to a cell phone. By illuminating particle suspensions with a collimated beam from an inexpensive diode laser, angularly resolved scattering patterns are imaged by the phone's camera. Analyzing these patterns with Mie theory results in predictions of size distributions of the particles in suspension. Despite using consumer grade electronics, we extracted size distributions of sphere suspensions with better than 20 nm accuracy in determining the mean size. We also show results from milk, yeast, and blood cells. Performing these measurements on a portable device presents opportunities for field-testing of food quality, process monitoring, and medical diagnosis.

This project deals with ash deposit formation in suspension fired biomass power plant boilers. The project has been conducted in a tight collaboration between Vattenfall and the CHEC Research Centre at DTU Department of Chemical Engineering. A large part of the project has been performed by condu......This project deals with ash deposit formation in suspension fired biomass power plant boilers. The project has been conducted in a tight collaboration between Vattenfall and the CHEC Research Centre at DTU Department of Chemical Engineering. A large part of the project has been performed...... by conducting advanced probe measurements at the Amagerværkets Vattenfall owed boilers. It was the objective of the project to provide an improved understanding of ash deposit formation and removal in biomass suspension fired boilers. The project have provided a large amount of knowledge on the following issues......: 1) The influence of local boiler conditions on deposit formation in suspension fired boilers using wood or co-firing straw and wood, 2) quantification of deposit removal in biomass suspension firing boilers with regards both to natural shedding and soot blower induced shedding, 3) established...

Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate whether both suspension training (ST and traditional training (TT can improve Sanda athlete's strength quality of trunk muscles and to explore the effect of suspension training on Sanda athletes' trunk muscle power production. Twelve elite Sanda athletes from the Competitive Sports School of Shanghai University of Sport were randomly assigned to experimental group (EG and control group (CG. EG and CG were regularly trained with suspension training and traditional strength training for 40 minutes three times per week. The total duration of training was 10 weeks. The measurements including peak torque (PT, PT/body weight (BW, and rate of force development (RFD were used to assess trunk muscles strength. The results showed that there were significant differences between the two groups' performance when it was tested at the higher velocity of dynamometer (test of muscle power, but less significant differences when the two groups performance was tested at the lower velocity of dynamometer (test of maximum strength. The conclusion of this study is that compared with traditional training methods, suspension training can improve back and trunk flexion muscles strength more effectively. In particular, suspension training can improve the explosive power of trunk extension and flexion muscles.

In this paper, a roll and pitch independently tuned hydraulically interconnected passive suspension is presented. Due to decoupling of vibration modes and the improved lateral and longitudinal stability, the stiffness of individual suspension spring can be reduced for improving ride comfort and road grip. A generalised 14 degree-of-freedom nonlinear vehicle model with anti-roll bars is established to investigate the vehicle ride and handling dynamic responses. The nonlinear fluidic model of the hydraulically interconnected suspension is developed and integrated with the full vehicle model to investigate the anti-roll and anti-pitch characteristics. Time domain analysis of the vehicle model with the proposed suspension is conducted under different road excitations and steering/braking manoeuvres. The dynamic responses are compared with conventional suspensions to demonstrate the potential of enhanced ride and handling performance. The results illustrate the model-decoupling property of the hydraulically interconnected system. The anti-roll and anti-pitch performance could be tuned independently by the interconnected systems. With the improved anti-roll and anti-pitch characteristics, the bounce stiffness and ride damping can be optimised for better ride comfort and tyre grip.

Full Text Available The suspension module control system model has been established based on MIMO (multiple input and multiple output state feedback linearization. We have completed decoupling between double suspension points, and the new decoupling method has been applied to CMS04 magnetic suspension vehicle in national mid-low-speed maglev experiment field of Tangshan city in China. Double suspension system model is very accurate for investigating stability property of maglev control system. When magnetic flux signal is taken back to the suspension control system, the suspension module’s antijamming capacity for resisting suspension load variety has been proved. Also, the external force interference has been enhanced. As a result, the robustness and stability properties of double-electromagnet suspension control system have been enhanced.

The suspension module control system model has been established based on MIMO (multiple input and multiple output) state feedback linearization. We have completed decoupling between double suspension points, and the new decoupling method has been applied to CMS04 magnetic suspension vehicle in national mid-low-speed maglev experiment field of Tangshan city in China. Double suspension system model is very accurate for investigating stability property of maglev control system. When magnetic flux signal is taken back to the suspension control system, the suspension module's antijamming capacity for resisting suspension load variety has been proved. Also, the external force interference has been enhanced. As a result, the robustness and stability properties of double-electromagnet suspension control system have been enhanced.

Highlights: • Adsorption and stabilization-destabilization properties of lysozyme (LSZ) in the nanozirconia-biopolymer solution system were determined. • The stability measurements were performed using turbidimetric method. • Lysozyme macromolecules undergo adsorption on the ZrO{sub 2} surface under electrostatic adsorbent-adsorbate attraction, i.e. at pH 6 and 9. • The biopolymer adsorption impact on the zirconia stability varies at different pH values. - Abstract: The effect of lysozyme (LSZ) presence on the zirconium(IV) oxide (ZrO{sub 2}) aqueous suspension stability was examined. The applied zirconia contains mesopores (with a diameter about 30 nm) and its mean particle size is about 100 nm. To determine the stability mechanism of ZrO{sub 2} suspension in the biopolymer presence, the adsorption and electrokinetic (surface charge density and zeta potential) measurements were performed in the pH range 3–10. The lysozyme adsorption on the nanozirconia surface proceeds mainly through electrostatic forces. Under solid-polymer repulsion conditions, there is no adsorption of lysozyme (pH < 6, C{sub NaCl} 0.01 mol/dm{sup 3}). The increase of solution ionic strength to 0.2 mol/dm{sup 3} causes screening of unfavourable forces and biopolymer adsorption becomes possible. The LSZ addition to the ZrO{sub 2} suspension influences its stability. At pH 3, 4.6 and 7.6, slight improvement of the system stability was obtained. In turn, at pH 9 considerable destabilization of nanozirconia particles covered by polymeric layers occurs.

The dispersion of particles is critical for several industrial applications such as paints, inks, coatings, and cosmetics. Several emerging applications such as abrasives for precision polishing, and drug delivery systems are increasingly relying on nanoparticulates to achieve the desired performance. In the case of nanoparticles, the dispersion becomes more challenging because of the lack of fundamental understanding of dispersant adsorption and interparticle force prediction. Additionally, many of these processes use severe processing environments such as high normal forces (>100 mN/m), high shear forces (>10,000 s -1), and high ionic strengths (>0.1 M). Under such processing conditions, traditionally used dispersants based on electrostatics, and steric force repulsion mechanism may not be adequate. Hence, the development of optimally performing dispersants requires a fundamental understanding of the dispersion mechanism at the atomic/molecular scale. This study explores the use of self-assembled surfactant aggregates at the solid-liquid interface for dispersing nanoparticles in severe processing environments. Surfactant molecules can provide a feasible alternative to polymeric or inorganic dispersants for stabilizing ultrafine particles. The barrier to aggregation in the presence of surfactant molecules was measured using atomic force microscopy. The barrier heights correlated to suspension stability. To understand the mechanism for nanoparticulate suspension stability in the presence of surfactant films, the interface was characterized using zeta potential, contact angle, adsorption, and FT-IR (adsorbed surfactant film structure measurements). The effect of solution conditions such as pH and ionic strength on the suspension stability, and the self-assembled surfactant films was also investigated. It was determined that a transition from a random to an ordered orientation of the surfactant molecules at the interface was responsible for stability of

At City Springs and many other schools across the country, restorative practices are about holding students accountable and getting them to right a wrong. The approach is getting more notice than ever as criticism grows of zero-tolerance disciplinary policies that often require out-of-school suspension and expulsion. Educators are turning to…

A model is presented for the solution of electrokinetic phenomena of colloidal suspensions in fluid mixtures. We solve the discrete Boltzmann equation with a Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook collision operator using the lattice Boltzmann method to simulate binary fluid flows. Solvent-solvent and solvent-solute

We report results of extensive experimental and numerical studies on the suspension of water drops deposited on cylindrical pillars having circular and square cross sections and different wettabilities. In the case of circular pillars, the drop contact line is pinned to the whole edge contour unt...

Full Text Available The ‘soft’ nitriding of the suspension axle surface of the T150K tractor at the depth of 0.08 mm enables us to enhance its constructive strength, to increase its service life by 25 % and have a considerable economic effect.

Suspensions of rear-actuated swimming microorganisms, such as E.coli, exhibit several interesting phenomena including spontaneous pattern formation above a critical concentration, novel rheological properties, shear-induced concentration banding etc. Explanations based on mean-field theory are only qualitative, since interactions between swimmers are important for typical experimental concentrations. We analytically characterize the hydrodynamic pair-interactions in a quiescent suspension of slender straight swimmers. The pair-correlation, calculated at leading order by integrating the swimmer velocity disturbances along straight trajectories, decays as 1/r2 for r >> L (L being the swimmer size). This allows us to characterize both polar and nematic correlations in an interacting swimmer suspension. In the absence of correlations, the velocity covariance asymptotes from a constant for r > L, the latter being characteristic of a suspension of non-interacting point force-dipoles. On including correlations, the slow decay of the pair-orientation correlation leads to an additional contribution to the velocity covariance that diverges logarithmically with system size.

This article reports on how the Baltimore District tackles its high suspension rates. Driven by an increasing belief that zero-tolerance disciplinary policies are ineffective, more educators are embracing strategies that do not exclude misbehaving students from school for offenses such as insubordination, disrespect, cutting class, tardiness, and…

Three gold nanoparticle suspensions are obtained, and mean radii in distributions - (6.1 ± 0.2), (11.9 ± 0.3), and (17.3 ± 0.7) nm - are determined by the transmission electron microscopy method. The optical absorption spectra of suspensions are obtained and studied. Calculation of spectral dependences of the absorption index of suspensions at values of the gold complex refractive index taken from the literature showed a significant deviation of experimental and calculated data in the region of 450-800 nm. Spectral dependences of the absorption of suspensions are simulated within the framework of the Mie-Drude theory taking into account the interband absorption in the form of an additional term in the imaginary part of the dielectric permittivity of the Gaussian type. It is shown that to quantify the spectral dependences in the region of the plasmon absorption band of nanoparticles, correction of the parameters of the interband absorption is necessary in addition to the increase of the relaxation parameter of the Drude theory. Spectral dependences of the dielectric permittivity of gold in nanodimensional state are refined from the solution of the inverse problem. The results of the present work are important for predicting the special features of operation of photonic devices and optical detonators based on gold nanoparticles.

The yield stress of concentrated suspensions of alumina, zirconia, and mixed alumina-zirconia powders was measured by the vane technique as a function of solids loading, relative amounts of alumina and zirconia, and pH. At the isoelectric point (IEP), the yield stress varied as the fourth power of the solids loading. The relative ratio of alumina and zirconia particles was important in determining the yield stress of the suspension at the IEP. The yield stress of single and mixed suspensions showed a marked variation with pH. The maximum value occurred at or near the IEP of the suspension. The effect of electrical double-layer forces on the yield stress can be described on the basis of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory. A normalized yield stress--that is, the ratio of the yield stress at a given pH to the yield stress at the IEP predicted by this model--showed good correlation with experimental data

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia. Div. of Instruction.

Policies and procedures for disciplining students should be designed to teach them responsibility, rather than simply punish them. Providing educational opportunities to behavioral deviants is a problem that does not have a simple solution. However, alternatives to suspension or expulsion must be attempted before these disciplinary actions are…

This paper presents control performance evaluation of optimal preview control algorithm for vehicle suspension featuring MR shock absorber. The optimal preview control algorithm has several advantages such as high control performance over that which is best for a non-preview system. In order to achieve this goal, a commercial MR shock absorber, Delphi MganerideTM, which is applicable to high class passenger vehicle, is adopted and its field-dependent damping force and dynamic responses are experimentally evaluated. Then the governing equation of motion for the full-vehicle model is established and integrated with the MR shock absorber. Subsequently, optimal controller with preview control algorithm is formulated and implemented for vibration suppression of the car body. Control performance of the preview controller is evaluated for the full-vehicle model under random road condition. In addition, the control performances depending on preview distances are evaluated.

This paper presents control performance evaluation of optimal preview control algorithm for vehicle suspension featuring MR shock absorber. The optimal preview control algorithm has several advantages such as high control performance over that which is best for a non-preview system. In order to achieve this goal, a commercial MR shock absorber, Delphi MganerideTM, which is applicable to high class passenger vehicle, is adopted and its field-dependent damping force and dynamic responses are experimentally evaluated. Then the governing equation of motion for the full-vehicle model is established and integrated with the MR shock absorber. Subsequently, optimal controller with preview control algorithm is formulated and implemented for vibration suppression of the car body. Control performance of the preview controller is evaluated for the full-vehicle model under random road condition. In addition, the control performances depending on preview distances are evaluated.

The assessment of spinal flexibility is essential for the planning of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) surgery. Various radiographic methods have been used but none of them has shown any superiority. The new low-dose stereography system EOS (EOS imaging, Paris, France) captures whole body images in a single scan without vertical distortion. EOS is now used in routine clinical use for AIS follow-up. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the feasibility and the reproducibility of a new suspension test during the EOS imaging for the assessment of spinal flexibility in AIS. Fifty AIS patients scheduled for surgery were prospectively included. For each patient, a standard EOS radiograph was obtained, then a suspension test in the EOS and a classic traction test on the cotrel frame were performed. The examinations were compared in terms of radiation exposure, tolerance, mean traction force, and Cobb angle reduction for each curve. Axial and sagittal reductions during suspension were analyzed on three-dimensional EOS reconstructions. The tolerance of the suspension test was lower than the traction test but it was less operator dependent. Radiation exposure was 7 times lower during the suspension test. Cobb angle reductions achieved in the proximal and main curves by the two tests were similar. The traction test achieved greater reduction of the distal curve. Flexibility in the axial plane and in the sagittal plane was analyzed with the suspension test. The reduction in apical rotation was not correlated with the reduction in Cobb angle. The EOS suspension test can be used for the assessment of spinal flexibility in AIS. It gives a global vision of the deformity with new flexibility indices in the axial and sagittal planes.

Prescribing of diclofenac for children usually involves a dose different from commercially available strengths. This drug is available only as tablets, which can be divided only so many times before the dose obtained becomes inaccurate. In addition, children may have difficulty swallowing tablets. For these reasons, a compounding formula for a liquid dosage form is essential to ensure effective delivery of the drug to pediatric patients. To develop a compounding formula for diclofenac sodium and to determine the extended physical and chemical stability of this compound when stored in amber polyvinyl chloride (PVC) prescription bottles under refrigeration and at room temperature. A suspension of diclofenac sodium (10 mg/mL) was prepared from commercially available diclofenac sodium tablets, with Ora-Blend as the suspending and flavouring agent. The suspension was packaged in 60-mL amber PVC prescription bottles and stored at either room temperature (23°C) or under refrigeration (5°C). Samples were collected on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 27, 56, and 93. Chemical stability was determined using a validated stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography method. At each sampling time, the suspensions were checked for changes in appearance (i.e., colour, layering, caking, ease of resuspension), odour, and pH. The diclofenac sodium suspensions were very stable, retaining at least 99.5% of the original concentration for up to 93 days, regardless of storage temperature. There were no apparent changes in the physical appearance of the suspensions, nor were there any substantial changes in odour or pH. Suspensions of diclofenac sodium (10 mg/mL) were quantitatively stable but difficult to prepare because of the enteric coating of the tablets. Therefore, it is recommended that diclofenac powder be used for the preparation of suspensions. For pediatric use, palatability is a consideration, and a masking agent should be added before administration. An expiry date of up to

The stability of standard and modified mercaptopurine suspensions when stored at room temperature and under refrigerated conditions to test the feasibility of increasing shelf life was studied. A 50-mg/mL mercaptopurine suspension was compounded by adding simple syrup, cherry syrup, and sterile water for irrigation to triturated mercaptopurine tablets for the initial reference formulation. Three additional formulations were prepared by adding an antioxidant (ascorbic acid 10 mg), a buffer (sodium phosphate monobasic monohydrate 500 mg), and a combination of antioxidant and buffer to the reference formulation. Each compounded batch was divided into two parts and stored in amber bottles at room temperature (19-23 degrees C) or under refrigerated conditions (4-8 degrees C). Analysis through high-performance liquid chromatography determined mercaptopurine levels after three and seven days and weekly thereafter for at least two weeks after shelf life was reached under specified storage conditions. Solutions with at least 93% of the original mercaptopurine concentration and with no observable sign of aggregation or cake formation were considered stable. The reference suspension of mercaptopurine showed an acceptable physical and chemical stability of up to 5 weeks when stored at room temperature. The addition of ascorbic acid extended the shelf life of the compounded suspension to 11 weeks. However, the addition of sodium phosphate monobasic did not improve the stability of mercaptopurine in the suspension. The results showed a higher stability for all formulations after storage at room temperature compared with those stored in a refrigerator. A standard oral suspension of mercaptopurine contained an acceptable drug concentration for up to 5 weeks when stored at room temperature. The addition of ascorbic acid at a concentration of 0.1% w/v to the standard formulation increased the suspension's shelf life at room temperature to 11 weeks.

Concentrated suspensions of detergent powder solids in a liquid nonionic surfactant are considered for practical application as liquid detergent products. If no precautions are taken, upon storage the viscosity of such suspensions increases and the pourability drops because the suspensions are

Dr. Jesse W. Beams developed the first practical magnetic suspension for high speed rotating devices. The devices included high speed rotating mirrors, ultracentrifuges, and high speed centrifugal field rotors. A brief biography of Dr. Beams is presented, and the following topics are discussed: (1) early axial magnetic suspension for ultracentrifuges; and (2) magnetic suspension for high centrifugal fields.

Formation and disaggregation of micron-size aggregates in a diluted suspension made up of HSs and bentonite (B) were studied by tracing distribution of aggregate sizes and their counts in freshly prepared and aged suspensions, and at high (10 000) and low (1.0) [HS]/[B] ratios. Diluted HSB suspensions are unstable ...

..., SYRUPS AND MOLASSES Specialty Sugar § 2011.207 Suspension of the certificate system. (a) Suspension. The.... Notice of such suspension and the effective date thereof shall be published in the Federal Register. (b... such reinstatement and the effective date thereof shall be published in the Federal Register. (c...

... 39 Postal Service 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Suspension pending review. 3001.114 Section 3001... Suspension pending review. (a) Application. Application for suspension of a determination of the Postal Service to close or consolidate any post office pending the outcome of an appeal to the Postal Regulatory...

Background: Colonic transit study provides valuable information before surgical treatment is considered for patient with constipation. The radiopaque markers method is the most common way for evaluating colon transit time. The aim of this study is to compare the barium suspension with the radiopaque makers to assess the colonic mobility in patient with constipation. Methods: Colonic transit time was measured in 11 female patients with slow-transit constipation using both radiopaque markers and barium suspension method. In radiopaque markers method, the patient ingested 20 markers on the first day, and an abdominal radiograph was performed every 24 h until 80% markers were excreted. In barium suspension method, the patient swallowed up to 50 ml of 200% (w/v) barium meal. The abdominal radiographs were taken at the same time point as the former. Results: The total or segmental colonic transit time were obviously prolonged in all patients. Segmental transits time spent in the right colon, left colon and rectosigmoid for radiopaque markers and barium suspension method was, respectively, 30 {+-} 6 h and 34 {+-} 7 h; 38 {+-} 9 h and 32 {+-} 6 h; 40 {+-} 8 h and 38 {+-} 10 h. In the radiopaque markers method, total colonic transit time was 108 {+-} 14 h and it was 103 {+-} 13 h in the barium suspension method (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The barium suspension and radiopaque markers gave the similar results for colonic transit time. The barium suspension was a simple and cheap method for evaluating the colonic mobility.

Background: Colonic transit study provides valuable information before surgical treatment is considered for patient with constipation. The radiopaque markers method is the most common way for evaluating colon transit time. The aim of this study is to compare the barium suspension with the radiopaque makers to assess the colonic mobility in patient with constipation. Methods: Colonic transit time was measured in 11 female patients with slow-transit constipation using both radiopaque markers and barium suspension method. In radiopaque markers method, the patient ingested 20 markers on the first day, and an abdominal radiograph was performed every 24 h until 80% markers were excreted. In barium suspension method, the patient swallowed up to 50 ml of 200% (w/v) barium meal. The abdominal radiographs were taken at the same time point as the former. Results: The total or segmental colonic transit time were obviously prolonged in all patients. Segmental transits time spent in the right colon, left colon and rectosigmoid for radiopaque markers and barium suspension method was, respectively, 30 ± 6 h and 34 ± 7 h; 38 ± 9 h and 32 ± 6 h; 40 ± 8 h and 38 ± 10 h. In the radiopaque markers method, total colonic transit time was 108 ± 14 h and it was 103 ± 13 h in the barium suspension method (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The barium suspension and radiopaque markers gave the similar results for colonic transit time. The barium suspension was a simple and cheap method for evaluating the colonic mobility.

This thesis describes a study of the modification of the interparticle forces of colloidal ceramic particles in aqueous suspensions in order to improve the microstructural homogeneity, and hence the reliability and mechanical performances, of subsequently formed ceramic compacts. A concentrated stable fine ceramic powder suspension has been shown to be able to generate a higher density of a ceramic product with better mechanical, and also electrical, electrochemical and optical, properties of the ceramic body. This is because in a colloidally stable suspension there are no aggregates and so defect formation, which is responsible for the ceramic body performance below its theoretical maximum, is reduced. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to form a well dispersed ceramic suspension by ensuring the interparticle forces between the particles are repulsive, with as a high a loading with particles as possible. By examining the rheological behaviour and the results of Atomic Force Microscope, the dispersion state of the suspensions and hence the interparticle forces can be analysed. In this study, concentrated ceramic suspensions were made from two kinds of zirconia powders, monoclinic (DK1) and yttria partially stabilised (HSY3) zirconia, in the presence of a dispersant, 4,5-dihydroxy-1,3-benzenedisulfonic acid disodium salt (Tiron), in aqueous system. The optimum dispersant concentrations, where the viscosity and rheological moduli are the entire minimum, for DK1 and HSY3 suspensions, respectively, are 0.625% and 0.1%. The modifications of the interparticle forces were also achieved by pH adjustment and it was found that both of the suspensions at the optimum dispersant concentration were stable over the pH range 7 ∼ 10, which coincide with the results of the electrophoretic mobility measurements. Ceramic compacts have then been made by slip casting the suspensions of different dispersant concentration, followed by firing procedure. Mechanical properties of

Considering the importance of drug permeation from formulations, in vitro and ex vivo drug permeation characteristics of three oral mucoadhesive suspensions of Ofloxacin were designed and compared. Three suspensions of Ofloxacin were prepared by taking two grades of Carbopol polymer such as Carbopol 934 (C934) and Carbopol 940 (C940); and Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. The permeability study was performed by using a Franz diffusion cell through both synthetic cellulose acetate membrane and ex...

In an effort to minimize barriers to compliance and adherence and to improve the accuracy of dosage measurement, sugar-containing and sugar-free sodium phenylbutyrate suspensions were formulated, and the stability of these products over a 90-day period was determined. An oral suspension of sodium phenylbutyrate 200 mg/mL was prepared by thoroughly grinding 12 g of Sodium Phenylbutyrate Powder, USP, in a glass mortar. Thirty milliliters of Ora-Plus and 30 mL of either Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were mixed and added to the powder to make a final volume of 60 mL. Three identical samples of each formulation were prepared and placed in 2-oz amber plastic bottles with child-resistant caps and were stored at room temperature. A 500-microL sample was withdrawn from each of the six bottles with a micropipette immediately after preparation and at 7, 14, 28, 60, and 90 days. After further dilution to an expected concentration of 100 microg/mL with the mobile phase, the samples were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography. Stability was defined as the retention of at least 90% of the initial concentration. At least 95% of the initial sodium phenylbutyrate concentration remained throughout the 90-day study period in both preparations. There were no detectable changes in color, odor, taste, and pH and no visible microbial growth in any sample. Extemporaneously compounded suspensions of sodium phenylbutyrate, 200 mg/mL, in a 1:1 mixture of Ora-Plus and Ora-Sweet or Ora-Sweet SF were stable for at least 90 days when stored in 2-oz amber plastic bottles at room temperature.

Full Text Available Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of oral sucralfate suspension (1gr/10ml in the treatment of recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS.Materials and Methods: Fifty-five patients with oral aphthae were included in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in the Department of Oral Medicine, School of Dentistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. In thefirst part of the study, all subjects were instructed to rinse with a 10% suspension of sucralfate or placebo, 4 times a day for 2 weeks. Clinical examination was performed two times a week. The second part consisted of topical use of sucralfate or placebo 2times a day for 4 weeks, followed by biweekly inspections for 6 months.The size and number of the ulcers along with pain severity were assessed in the course of the pretreatment and treatment phases. Recurrence was evaluated during the follow up period. Pearson, χ2, and Fisher’s exact tests were used for statistical analysis.Results: On the fourth day of the study, pain relief was encountered in 59% and 14% of the case and control patients, respectively. Also, 63% of the ulcers in the sucralfate group and 71% in the placebo group showed size-reduction on the first visit. During the first 7 days of treatment, the number of ulcers showed reduction in both groups, which was significantly larger in the case group.Conclusion: A 10% suspension of sucralfate accelerated pain relief in aphthous patients and its use is recommended as an adjunct for the treatment of RAS.

Significant work has been devoted to modeling fiber suspensions as they occur in many applications such as paper and food industries. Most of the works are limited to the motion of rigid cylindrical rods in low Stokes flows. Here, we investigate the rheological properties of flexible filament suspensions by means of numerical simulations. We considered the filaments as one-dimensional inextensible slender bodies obeying the Euler-Bernoulli equations and study the effect of flexibility, flow inertia and volume fraction on the rheology of the suspensions. The numerical simulations are performed using the Immersed Boundary Method to model the fluid/structure interaction. The results indicate that the inertia has significant effect on the relative viscosity of the suspensions. The effect is larger for less deformable filaments. The filament suspensions exhibit viscoelastic behavior and the first normal stress has a maximum for moderate flexibilities. The relative viscosity increases with volume fraction of the filaments and it is more sensitive to the volume fraction for larger Reynolds numbers. For a constant flexibility, the mean end-to-end distance of the filaments decreases with Reynolds number and the mean velocity fluctuations of the fluid increases with the Reynolds number. European Research Council, Grant No. ERC-2013-CoG- 616186, TRITOS; SNIC (the Swedish National Infrastructure for Computing).

Bioactive trimethyl xanthina can be obtained from the plant Camellia sinensis L. To obtain bioactive plant of which there are several hurdles for instance to wait up to five years to be harvested, also it needs land at a certain height from the sea level. Therefore, the production of secondary metabolites trimethyl xanthina need to be developed with suspense culture techniques. The purpose of this study obtained the production of bioactive trimethyl xanthina way culturally suspense in large scale with a relatively short time, potentially as anti-oxidants. Research methods include: (1) initiation of callus from pieces of leaves, shoots the youngest of the plant Camellia sinensis L in the media MS with the optimization of the addition of growth regulators, (2) the subculture of callus on media and plant growth regulator that is equal to the stage of initiation, (3) initiation of suspension culture using explants of callus Camellia sinensis L, (4) Analysis of secondary metabolites trimethyl xanthina growth in suspension culture, (5) the isolation and identification of trimethyl xanthina qualitatively and quantitatively using thin layer chromatography/high performance chromatography column. The results of the study suspension cultures containing bioactive trimethyl xanthina candidates that can be used as an antioxidant.

Stelechocarpus burahol is a plant containing flavonoid compounds that have the potential for use as an antihyperuricemic for gout medication. This study was performed to assess flavonoid production, growth and cell differentiation of S. burahol in cell suspension culture. Mesocarp was planted in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 7.5 mg L-1 picloram for the induction of callus. Non-embryonic callus obtained was used in the formation of cell suspension cultures. Growth of cells was determined by fresh and dry weights. During the culturing, the fresh weight, dry weight and flavonoid content were determined as a result of culture status. The growth of the S. burahol cell suspension was slow, the stationary phase occurred at 30 days. The production of flavonoids was not in line with the growth of cells and the maximum production occurred on the 15th day of the log phase. The globular-shaped cells dominated the cell suspension culture at all ages. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) staining of cells derived from cell cultures aged for 36 days showed that some cells were still viable. The results show that flavonoid production, growth and cell differentiation of a S. burahol cell suspension culture differed according to the culture age.

The effects of bogie primary and secondary suspension stiffness and damping components on the dynamics behavior of a high speed train are scrutinized based on the multiplicative dimensional reduction method (M-DRM). A one-car railway vehicle model is chosen for the analysis at two levels of the bogie suspension system: symmetric and asymmetric configurations. Several operational scenarios including straight and circular curved tracks are considered, and measurement data are used as the track irregularities in different directions. Ride comfort, safety, and wear objective functions are specified to evaluate the vehicle’s dynamics performance on the prescribed operational scenarios. In order to have an appropriate cut center for the sensitivity analysis, the genetic algorithm optimization routine is employed to optimize the primary and secondary suspension components in terms of wear and comfort, respectively. The global sensitivity indices are introduced and the Gaussian quadrature integrals are employed to evaluate the simplified sensitivity indices correlated to the objective functions. In each scenario, the most influential suspension components on bogie dynamics are recognized and a thorough analysis of the results is given. The outcomes of the current research provide informative data that can be beneficial in design and optimization of passive and active suspension components for high speed train bogies.

The effects of bogie primary and secondary suspension stiffness and damping components on the dynamics behavior of a high speed train are scrutinized based on the multiplicative dimensional reduction method (M-DRM). A one-car railway vehicle model is chosen for the analysis at two levels of the bogie suspension system: symmetric and asymmetric configurations. Several operational scenarios including straight and circular curved tracks are considered, and measurement data are used as the track irregularities in different directions. Ride comfort, safety, and wear objective functions are specified to evaluate the vehicle’s dynamics performance on the prescribed operational scenarios. In order to have an appropriate cut center for the sensitivity analysis, the genetic algorithm optimization routine is employed to optimize the primary and secondary suspension components in terms of wear and comfort, respectively. The global sensitivity indices are introduced and the Gaussian quadrature integrals are employed to evaluate the simplified sensitivity indices correlated to the objective functions. In each scenario, the most influential suspension components on bogie dynamics are recognized and a thorough analysis of the results is given. The outcomes of the current research provide informative data that can be beneficial in design and optimization of passive and active suspension components for high speed train bogies.

To determine the stability and distribution of voriconazole in 2 extemporaneously prepared (compounded) suspensions stored for 30 days at 2 temperatures. Voriconazole suspensions (40 mg/mL) compounded from commercially available 200-mg tablets suspended in 1 of 2 vehicles. One vehicle contained a commercially available suspending agent and a sweetening syrup in a 1:1 mixture (SASS). The other vehicle contained the suspending agent with deionized water in a 3:1 mixture (SADI). Voriconazole suspensions (40 mg/mL in 40-mL volumes) were compounded on day 0 and stored at room temperature (approx 21 degrees C) or refrigerated (approx 5 degrees C). To evaluate distribution, room-temperature aliquots of voriconazole were measured immediately after preparation. Refrigerated aliquots were measured after 3 hours of refrigeration. To evaluate stability, aliquots from each suspension were measured at approximately 7-day intervals for up to 30 days. Voriconazole concentration, color, odor, opacity, and pH were measured, and aerobic and anaerobic bacterial cultures were performed at various points. Drug distribution was uniform (coefficient of variation, suspensions. On day 0, 87.8% to 93.0% of voriconazole was recovered; percentage recovery increased to between 95.1% and 100.8% by day 7. On subsequent days, up to day 30, percentage recovery was stable (> 90%) for all suspensions. The pH of each suspension did not differ significantly throughout the 30-day period. Storage temperature did not affect drug concentrations at any time, nor was bacterial growth obtained. Extemporaneously prepared voriconazole in SASS and SADI resulted in suspensions that remained stable for at least 30 days. Refrigerated versus room-temperature storage of the suspensions had no effect on drug stability.

The dynamics and rheology of suspensions of rigid, non-Brownian fibers in Newtonian fluids are reviewed. Experiments, theories, and computer simulations are considered, with an emphasis on suspensions at semidilute and concentrated conditions. In these suspensions, interactions between the particles strongly influence the microstructure and rheological properties of the suspension. The interactions can arise from hydrodynamic disturbances, giving multibody interactions at long ranges and pairwise lubrication forces over short distances. For concentrated suspensions, additional interactions due to excluded volume (contacts) and adhesive forces are addressed. The relative importance of the various interactions as a function of fiber concentration is assessed.

This paper focuses on the finite-time tracking control with external disturbance for active suspension systems. In order to compensate unknown disturbance efficiently, a disturbance compensator with finite-time convergence property is studied. By analyzing the discontinuous phenomenon of classical disturbance compensation techniques, this study presents a simple approach to construct a continuous compensator satisfying the finite-time disturbance rejection performance. According to the finite-time separation principle, the design procedures of the nominal controller for the suspension system without disturbance and the disturbance compensator can be implemented in a completely independent manner. Therefore, the overall control law for the closed-loop system is continuous, which offers some distinct advantages over the existing discontinuous ones. From the perspective of practical implementation, the continuous controller can avoid effectively the unexpected chattering in active suspension control. Comparative experimental results are presented and discussed to illustrate the advantage and effectiveness of the proposed control strategy.

This paper introduces a new pneumatic spring for vehicle suspension systems, allowing independent tuning of stiffness and ride height according to different vehicle operating conditions and driver preferences. The proposed pneumatic spring comprises a double-acting pneumatic cylinder, two accumulators and a tuning subsystem. This paper presents a detailed description of the pneumatic spring and its working principle. The mathematical model is established based on principles of thermo and fluid dynamics. An experimental setup has been designed and fabricated for testing and evaluating the proposed pneumatic spring. The analytical and experimental results confirm the capability of the new pneumatic spring system for independent tuning of stiffness and ride height. The mathematical model is verified and the capabilities of the pneumatic spring are further proved. It is concluded that this new pneumatic spring provides a more flexible suspension design alternative for meeting various conflicting suspension requirements for ride comfort and performance.

In this review, we report the various experimental studies performed on suspensions of solid particules in liquids, and concerning the rheological behaviour of such systems and the ordering of particules under the applied velocity fields. The number of materials which are flowing suspensions (reagents in chemical engineering, paints while spreading, blood flow, muds in oil reservoir) gave rise to a number of experimental studies, especially in the last twenty years. The results show a wide variety of behaviour, even for systems of intermediate concentration. In addition, even for identical systems, the results depend of the type of flow. Then, it is clear that, in addition of the standard parameters which are to be taken into account, it is necessary to consider the type of flow the suspension is submitted to. The flow influences the spatial distribution of the particules, leading to their ordering or migration. These ordering or motions influence the flow, and then, the rheological behaviour of the whole system. So, there is a feedback mechanism from the ordering to the flow, which explains the experimental observations. Nous reportons dans cette revue les différentes études expérimentales réalisées sur les suspensions de particules solides dans un liquide et qui concernent le comportement rhéologique de ces systèmes ainsi que les mouvements des particules sous l'effet des champs de vitesse imposés. Ces mouvements peuvent conduire soit à des mises en structure, ou encore à des migrations des particules. L'importance du nombre de matériaux qui se présentent sous forme de suspension et qui sont mis en écoulement (réactif en génie chimique, peintures lors de leur mise en place, écoulement sanguin, boues dans les forages pétroliers,...) a motivé un grand nombre de travaux expérimentaux plus fondamentaux sur le sujet, particulièrement dans les vingt dernières années. Les résultats correspondants montrent une très grande diversité des

A system for determining properties of settling suspensions includes a settling container, a mixer, and devices for ultrasonic interrogation transverse to the settling direction. A computer system controls operation of the mixer and the interrogation devices and records the response to the interrogating as a function of settling time, which is then used to determine suspension properties. Attenuation versus settling time for dilute suspensions, such as dilute wood pulp suspension, exhibits a peak at different settling times for suspensions having different properties, and the location of this peak is used as one mechanism for characterizing suspensions. Alternatively or in addition, a plurality of ultrasound receivers are arranged at different angles to a common transmitter to receive scattering responses at a variety of angles during particle settling. Angular differences in scattering as a function of settling time are also used to characterize the suspension.

Full Text Available An engineering oriented decoupling control method for the module suspension system is proposed to solve the coupling issues of the two levitation units of the module in magnetic levitation (maglev train. According to the format of the system transfer matrix, a modified adjoint transfer matrix based decoupler is designed. Then, a compensated controller is obtained in the light of a desired close loop system performance. Optimization between the performance index and robustness index is also carried out to determine the controller parameters. However, due to the high orders and complexity of the obtained resultant controller, model reduction method is adopted to get a simplified controller with PID structure. Considering the modeling errors of the module suspension system as the uncertainties, experiments have been performed to obtain the weighting function of the system uncertainties. By using this, the robust stability of the decoupled module suspension control system is checked. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed decoupling design method is validated by simulations and physical experiments. The results illustrate that the presented decoupling design can result in a satisfactory decoupling and better dynamic performance, especially promoting the reliability of the suspension control system in practical engineering application.

This paper is concerned with the design aspects of an active electromagnet suspension system for automotive applications which combines a brushless tubular permanent magnet actuator (TPMA) with a passive spring. This system provides for additional stability and safety by performing active roll and

The rheology of solidifying high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is investigated. Experiments on an HDPE were performed with a novel RheoDSC device. Results agree quantitatively with simulations for a suspension of elastic spheres in a viscoelastic matrix except for very low values of space filling

This paper is concerned with the design aspects of an active electromagnet suspension system for automotive applications which combines a brushless tubular permanent-magnet actuator with a passive spring. This system provides for additional stability and safety by performing active roll and pitch

After drawing up a balance sheet of current knowledge of settling of particles and suspensions in Newtonian and non Newtonian fluids, we introduce the characterisation of the fluid-particles system and especially the shear-thinning behavior of Xanthan solutions. This experimental study is organised into two parts. First of all, we study the settling behavior of a few particles falling along their line of centres. The conditions for particles aggregation with respect to the rheological properties of the suspending fluid are systematically reported. To that extent, rheological relaxation experiments are performed. Once aggregated, the particles velocities are much more important that the velocity of a single one. We show that a simple model, based on the Newtonian case, allows to predict the position and the velocity of each particle with respect to the initial separation distance between them. The second part of this work is devoted to the study of the settling behavior of spherical and monodisperse particles suspensions according to the particles volume fraction, the polymer concentration of the suspending fluid and the geometry of the sedimenting cell. From a model giving the particle volume fraction as a function of the luminous intensity transmitted by the suspension, we show that three regimes of different kinetics occur. During the second regime, the particle volume fraction decreases exponentially with time and the observed phenomena are very fast. Finally, we study the spatial structuration of the suspension and we link it to the topography of the sediment obtained at the end of the sedimentation. (author)

The compliance of the loudspeaker suspension is known to depend on the recent excitation level history. Previous investigations have shown that the electrical power as well as displacement and velocity plays a role. In this paper the hypothesis that the changes in compliance are caused mainly...... by how much the suspension has been stretched, i.e., the maximum displacement, is investigated. For this purpose the changes in compliance are measured when exposing the loudspeaker to different levels and types of electrical excitation signals, as well as mechanical excitation only. For sinusoidal...... excitation the change in compliance is shown to depend primarily on maximum displacement. But for square pulse excitation the duration of the excitation also plays an important role....

A model is presented for the solution of electrokinetic phenomena of colloidal suspensions in fluid mixtures. We solve the discrete Boltzmann equation with a Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook collision operator using the lattice Boltzmann method to simulate binary fluid flows. Solvent-solvent and solvent-solute interactions are implemented using a pseudopotential model. The Nernst-Planck equation, describing the kinetics of dissolved ion species, is solved using a finite difference discretization based on the link-flux method. The colloids are resolved on the lattice and coupled to the hydrodynamics and electrokinetics through appropriate boundary conditions. We present the first full integration of these three elements. The model is validated by comparing with known analytic solutions of ionic distributions at fluid interfaces, dielectric droplet deformations, and the electrophoretic mobility of colloidal suspensions. Its possibilities are explored by considering various physical systems, such as breakup of charged and neutral droplets and colloidal dynamics at either planar or spherical fluid interfaces.

An abrasive suspension jet (ASJ) formed by propelling abrasive suspension through a nozzle has a greater cutting capability than the conventional abrasive water jet. However the cutting capability of submerged ASJs decreases drastically with increasing the standoff distance and the pressure around the jet. A sheathed nozzle with ventilation for ASJs has been developed as a mean of extending the effective stand-off distance and improving the cutting capabilities under submerged condition. In the present investigation, cutting tests by ASJs in air and under submerged condition are conducted with specimens of aluminum alloy. Air coated ASJs are formed by using a sheathed nozzle with ventilation. The relative cutting depth is defined as the cutting depth under submerged condition divided by the cutting depth in air at the same standoff distance. The relative cutting depth is arranged effectually by the cavitation number based on the cavity pressure measured at the sheath. (author)

An abrasive suspension jet (ASJ) formed by propelling abrasive suspension through a nozzle has a greater cutting capability than the conventional abrasive water jet. However the cutting capability of submerged ASJs decreases drastically with increasing the standoff distance and the pressure around the jet. A sheathed nozzle nozzle with ventilation for ASJs has been developed as a mean of extending the effective stand-off distance and improving the cutting capabilities under submerged condition. In the present investigation, cutting tests by ASJs in air and under submerged condition are conducted with specimens of aluminum alloy. Air coated ASJs are formed by using a sheathed nozzle with ventilation. The relative cutting depth is defined as the cutting depth is arranged effectually by the cavitation number based on the cavity pressure measured at the sheath. (author)

This book addresses the properties of particles in colloidal suspensions. It has a focus on particle aggregates and the dependency of their physical behaviour on morphological parameters. For this purpose, relevant theories and methodological tools are reviewed and applied to selected examples. The book is divided into four main chapters. The first of them introduces important measurement techniques for the determination of particle size and interfacial properties in colloidal suspensions. A further chapter is devoted to the physico-chemical properties of colloidal particles—highlighting the interfacial phenomena and the corresponding interactions between particles. The book’s central chapter examines the structure-property relations of colloidal aggregates. This comprises concepts to quantify size and structure of aggregates, models and numerical tools for calculating the (light) scattering and hydrodynamic properties of aggregates, and a discussion on van-der-Waals and double layer interactions between ...

Full Text Available Abstract Generally compressed air is produced using different types of air compressors which consumes lot of electric energy and is noisy. In this paper an innovative idea is put forth for production of compressed air using movement of vehicle suspension which normal is wasted. The conversion of the force energy into the compressed air is carried out by the mechanism which consists of the vehicle suspension system hydraulic cylinder Non-return valve air compressor and air receiver. We are collecting air in the cylinder and store this energy into the tank by simply driving the vehicle. This method is non-conventional as no fuel input is required and is least polluting.

Using the acoustophoresis technique three different dispersants were selected to investigate the effect of the volume fraction of the suspension on the minimum amount of dispersant required to give the maximum zeta potential. No effect was detected over a volume fraction range 0.11 to 0.35. The acoustosizer was used to screen many dispersants for alumina in a relatively short time. From the viewpoint that the most stable suspensions are those with the greatest zeta potentials, then the following dispersants can be recommended: Reotan LA (0.25 mg/m{sup 2}) Dolapix CA (0.20 mg/m{sup 2}) and Dolapix PC33 (0.30 mg/m{sup 2}). Vanisperse and Borresperse are poor. Polyacrylic acid and polymethacrylic acid were better than some commercially available products. (orig.) 2 refs.

Full Text Available The article presents considerations concerning the construction of vibration reduction system using magnetic suspension technology. Presents the results of simulation, numerical and experimental the bearingless electric motor, for which successfully used this type of solution. Positive results of research and testing have become the basis for the development of the concept of building this type of active vibration reduction system , at the same time acting as a support for a technical object, which is a jet engine. Bearing failures are manifested by loss or distortion of their mass, which leads to a total destruction of the roller bearing, and thus reflected in the security. The article presents the concept of building active magnetic suspension to eliminate the bearing system of classical rolling bearing and replace it with magnetic bearing.

The extension of a gravity current in a lock-exchange problem, proceeds as square root of time in the viscous-buoyancy phase, where there is a balance between gravitational and viscous forces. In the presence of particles however, this scenario is drastically altered, because sedimentation reduces the motive gravitational force and introduces a finite distance and time at which the gravity current halts. We investigate the spreading of low Reynolds number suspension gravity currents using a novel approach based on the Lattice-Boltzmann (LB) method. The suspension is modeled as a continuous medium with a concentration-dependent viscosity. The settling of particles is simulated using a drift flux function approach that enables us to capture sudden discontinuities in particle concentration that travel as kinematic shock waves. Thereafter a numerical investigation of lock-exchange flows between pure fluids of unequal viscosity, reveals the existence of wall layers which reduce the spreading rate substantially compared to the lubrication theory prediction. In suspension gravity currents, we observe that the settling of particles leads to the formation of two additional fronts: a horizontal front near the top that descends vertically and a sediment layer at the bottom which aggrandises due to deposition of particles. Three phases are identified in the spreading process: the final corresponding to the mutual approach of the two horizontal fronts while the laterally advancing front halts indicating that the suspension current stops even before all the particles have settled. The first two regimes represent a constant and a decreasing spreading rate respectively. Finally we conduct experiments to substantiate the conclusions of our numerical and theoretical investigation.

The power of the KSTR reactor has been increased up to 200 kW in the fourth quarter of 1974. A description is given of the behaviour of the reactor at increased power level, safety aspects concerned with this new level, the operation of the reactor, instrumental behavior and mechanical behavior. Irradiation investigation of two types of fuels are reported and results are presented. Progress made on the conceptual design of a 250 MWe suspension reactor is described

Full Text Available This paper describes active suspension with active roll for four-wheel vehicle (bus by means of an in-series pump actuator with doubled hydropneumatic springs. It also gives full control law with no sky-craping. Lateral stiffness and solid axle geometry in the mechanical model are not neglected. Responses to lateral input as well as responses to statistical unevennesses show considerable improvement of passengers comfort and safety when cornering.

NASA's Langley facility has through constant advocacy of magnetic suspension systems (MSSs) for wind-tunnel model positioning obtained a technology-development status for the requisite large magnets, computers, automatic control techniques, and apparatus configurations, to contemplate the construction of MSSs for large wind tunnels. Attention is presently given to the prospects for MSSs in wind tunnels employing superfluid helium atmospheres to obtain very high Reynolds numbers, where the MSS can yield substantial enhancements of wind tunnel productivity.

The viscosity of suspensions was computed early on by Einstein and Batchelor in the dilute regime. At high density however, their rheology remains mystifying. As the packing fraction increases, steric hindrance becomes dominant and particles move under stress in a more and more coordinated way. Eventually, the viscosity diverges as the suspension jams into an amorphous solid. Such a jamming transition is reminiscent of critical points: the rheology displays scaling and a diverging length scale. Jamming bear similarities with the glass transition where steric hindrance is enhanced under cooling, and where the dynamics is also observed to become more and more collective as it slows down. In all these examples, understanding the nature of the collective dynamics and the associated rheology remains a challenge. Recent progress has been made however on a related problem, the unjamming transition where a solid made of repulsive soft particles is isotropically decompressed toward vanishing pressure. In this situation various properties of the amorphous solid, such as elasticity, transport or force propagation, display scaling with the distance to threshold. Theoretically these observations can be shown to stem from the presence of soft modes in the vibrational spectrum, a result that can be extended to thermal colloidal glasses as well. Here we focus on particles driven by shear at zero temperature. We show that if hydrodynamical interactions are neglected an analogy can be made between the rheology of such a suspension and the elasticity of simple networks, building a link between the jamming and the unjamming transition. This analogy enables us to unify in a common framework key aspects of the elasticity of amorphous solids with the rheology of dense suspensions, and to relate features of the latter to the geometry of configurations visited under flow.

Objective: There is limited information on compounded apixaban formulations for administration via enteral feeding tubes. This study was designed to identify a suitable apixaban suspension formulation that is easy to prepare in a pharmacy setting, is compatible with commonly used feeding tubes, and has a beyond-use date of 7 days. Methods: Apixaban suspensions were prepared from commercially available 5-mg Eliquis tablets. Several vehicles and compounding methods were screened for ease of preparation, dosage accuracy, and tube compatibility. Two tubing types, polyurethane and polyvinyl chloride, with varying lengths and diameters, were included in the study. They were mounted on a peg board during evaluation to mimic the patient body position. A 7-day stability study of the selected formulation was also conducted. Results: Vehicles containing 40% to 60% Ora-Plus in water all exhibited satisfactory flowability through the tubes. The mortar/pestle compounding method was found to produce more accurate and consistent apixaban suspensions than the pill crusher or crushing syringe method. The selected formulation, 0.25 mg/mL apixaban in 50:50 Ora-Plus:water, was compatible with both tubing types, retaining >98% drug in posttube samples. The stability study also confirmed that this formulation was stable physically and chemically over 7 days of storage at room temperature. Conclusions: A suitable apixaban suspension formulation was identified for administration via enteral feeding tubes. The formulation consisted of 0.25 mg/mL apixaban in 50:50 Ora-Plus:water. The stability study results supported a beyond-use date of 7 days at room temperature.

Full Text Available The focus of the paper is on designing a suspension system for a medium downforce small Formula type race car. The paper not only focusses on step by step design for a double wishbone type suspension but will also show the use and role of kinematics software in determining the optimized suspension of the car. The paper will also focus on the use of tire data in determining suspension parameters and the design of the double wishbone suspension. Various parameters, their design importance and the process to optimize them according to suspension design goals will be covered. The easiest and best ways to change the suspension parameters to get the best results will also be covered.

Contaminant transport is traditionally modeled in a two-phase system: a mobile aqueous phase and an immobile solid phase. Over the last 15 years, there has been an increasing awareness of a third, mobile solid phase. This mobile solid phase, or mobile colloids, are organic or inorganic submicron-sized particles that move with groundwater flow. When colloids are present, the net effect on radionuclide transport is that radionuclides can move faster through the system. It is not known whether mobile colloids exist in the subsurface environment of the Hanford Site. Furthermore, it is not known if mobile colloids would likely exist in a plume emanating from a Low Level Waste (LLW) disposal site. No attempt was made in this study to ascertain whether colloids would form. Instead, experiments and calculations were conducted to evaluate the likelihood that colloids, if formed, would remain in suspension and move through saturated and unsaturated sediments. The objectives of this study were to evaluate three aspects of colloid-facilitated transport of radionuclides as they specifically relate to the LLW Performance Assessment. These objectives were: (1) determine if the chemical conditions likely to exist in the near and far field of the proposed disposal site are prone to induce flocculation (settling of colloids from suspension) or dispersion of naturally occurring Hanford colloids, (2) identify the important mechanisms likely involved in the removal of colloids from a Hanford sediment, and (3) determine if colloids can move through unsaturated porous media

Encapsulation of a bubble with microparticles is known to significantly improve the stability of the bubble. This phenomenon has recently gained increasing attention due to its application in a variety of technologies such as foam stabilization, drug encapsulation and colloidosomes. Nevertheless, the production of such colloidal armored bubble with controlled size and particle coverage ratio is still a great challenge industrially. We study the coating process of a long air bubble by microparticles in a circular tube filled with a concentrated microparticles colloidal suspension. As the bubble proceeds in the suspension of particles, a monolayer of micro-particles forms on the interface of the bubble, which eventually results in a fully armored bubble. We investigate the phenomenon that triggers and controls the evolution of the particle accumulation on the bubble interface. Moreover, we examine the effects of the mean flow velocity, the size of the colloids and concentration of the suspension on the dynamics of the armored bubble. The results of this study can potentially be applied to production of particle-encapsulated bubbles, surface-cleaning techniques, and gas-assisted injection molding.

To evaluate the stability of 3 extemporaneous oral suspensions of enrofloxacin mixed with readily available flavoring vehicles when stored at room temperature (approx 22°C). Evaluation study. 3 commonly compounded oral suspensions of enrofloxacin. On day 0, commercially available enrofloxacin tablets were compounded with a mixture of distilled water and corn syrup (formulation A) or cherry syrup (formulation B) flavoring vehicles to create suspensions with a nominal enrofloxacin concentration of 22.95 mg/mL, and 2.27% enrofloxacin injectable solution was compounded with a liquid sweetener (formulation C) to create a suspension with a nominal enrofloxacin concentration of 11.35 mg/mL. Preparations were stored in amber-colored vials at room temperature for 56 days. For each preparation, the enrofloxacin concentration was evaluated with high-performance liquid chromatography at prespecified intervals during the study. The pH, odor, and consistency for all suspensions were recorded at the start and completion of the study. Relative to the nominal enrofloxacin concentration, the enrofloxacin concentration strength ranged from 95.80% to 100.69% for formulation A, 108.44% to 111.06% for formulation B, and 100.99% to 103.28% for formulation C. A mild pH increase was detected in all 3 suspensions during the study. Results indicated that, when stored in amber-colored vials at room temperature for 56 days, the enrofloxacin concentration strength in all 3 formulations was retained within acceptance criteria of 90% to 110%. Subjectively, cherry syrup flavoring was better at masking the smell and taste of enrofloxacin than were the other mixing vehicles.

Oral loading of oxcarbazepine tablet is effective and well tolerated to adequately achieve the therapeutic levels of its active metabolite, 10,11-dihydro-10-hydroxy-carbazepine (monohydroxy derivative, MHD) in epilepsy patients. The present study was performed to investigate the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profiles of oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension in epilepsy patients with a high risk of recurrent seizures. Oxcarbazepine suspension was administered orally at a single loading dose of 30 mg/kg to 38 adult patients with recurrent seizures, who required rapid seizure control or temporarily discontinued antiepileptic drugs for diagnostic or pre-surgical evaluation. Plasma concentrations of oxcarbazepine and MHD were determined, and adverse events were assessed at 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, and 24 hours after oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension. 30 patients experienced ≥ 1 adverse event during the first 24 hours after oral loading of oxcarbazepine (e.g., dizziness, transient diplopia, nausea or vomiting), most of which occurred within 4 hours after loading, suggesting no temporal association with MHD plasma levels. 35 (92.1%) patients were still compliant with a maintenance dose of oxcarbazepine after discharge from hospital. 34 (89.4%) patients reached the lower therapeutic level of MHD (12 mg/l) at 4 hours after oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension, which lasted up to 24 hours in most patients. No patient reached the supratherapeutic levels of MHD (> 35 mg/l) during the study. The mean plasma concentration-time curves and pharmacokinetic profiles of oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension were similar to those of oral loading of oxcarbazepine tablet. Oral loading of oxcarbazepine suspension followed by maintenance dosing is well tolerated and effective in steadily achieving the therapeutic level of MHD in selected patients with epilepsy.

In this technical report we investigate efficient methods for numerical simulation of active suspensions. The prototypical system is a suspension of swimming bacteria in a Newtonian fluid. Rheological and other macroscopic properties of such suspensions can differ dramatically from the same properties of the suspending fluid alone or of suspensions of similar but inactive particles. Elongated bacteria, such as E. coli or B. subtilis, swim along their principal axis, propelling themselves with the help of flagella, attached at the anterior of the organism and pushing it forward in the manner of a propeller. They interact hydrodynamically with the surrounding fluid and, because of their asymmetrical shape, have the propensity to align with the local flow. This, along with the dipolar nature of bacteria (the two forces a bacterium exerts on a fluid - one due to self-propulsion and the other opposing drag - have equal magnitude and point in opposite directions), causes nearby bacteria to tend to align, resulting in a intermittent local ordering on the mesoscopic scale, which is between the microscopic scale of an individual bacterium and the macroscopic scale of the suspension (e.g., its container). The local ordering is sometimes called a collective mode or collective swimming. Thanks to self-propulsion, collective modes inject momentum into the fluid in a coherent way. This enhances the local strain rate without changing the macroscopic stress applied at the boundary of the container. The macroscopic effective viscosity of the suspension is defined roughly as the ratio of the applied stress to the bulk strain rate. If local alignment and therefore local strain-rate enhancement, are significant, the effective viscosity can be appreciably lower than that of the corresponding passive suspension or even of the surrounding fluid alone. Indeed, a sevenfold decrease in the effective viscosity was observed in experiments with B. subtilis. More generally, local collective

Mercaptopurine is commonly used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia and has historically been commercially available only in tablet form. Since tablets may be difficult for children and elderly patients to swallow, many pharmacists have compounded mercaptopurine suspensions. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved a commercial suspension, but it is not widely available at this time. Therefore, pharmacists may still need to compound mercaptopurine suspension for use in areas where it is not available or if the commercial suspension is in short supply. Stability studies must be conducted in order to assign appropriate beyond-use dates for compounded preparations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the stability of extemporaneously compounded suspensions using commercially available mercaptopurine tablets, as well as active pharmaceutical ingredient in a vehicle of Ora-Sweet and Ora-Plus (1:1) stored in plastic and glass containers at room temperature. Each mercaptopurine preparation was analyzed using a validated stability-indicating high-performance liquid chromatography method at the following time points: 0, 7, 14, 21, 30, 60, and 90 days. Suspensions were also observed for changes in appearance or odor, and pH was tested at each time point. The suspension compounded from Roxane generic tablets was extremely viscous and was therefore eliminated from the study. All other suspensions showed no observed physical changes and maintained greater than 93% of initial concentration of mercaptopurine for the entire study period.

Full Text Available The performance of the suspension system is one of the most important factors in the vehicle design. For the double wishbone suspension system, the conventional deterministic optimization does not consider any deviations of design parameters, so design sensitivity analysis and robust optimization design are proposed. In this study, the design parameters of the robust optimization are the positions of the key points, and the random factors are the uncertainties in manufacturing. A simplified model of the double wishbone suspension is established by software ADAMS. The sensitivity analysis is utilized to determine main design variables. Then, the simulation experiment is arranged and the Latin hypercube design is adopted to find the initial points. The Kriging model is employed for fitting the mean and variance of the quality characteristics according to the simulation results. Further, a particle swarm optimization method based on simple PSO is applied and the tradeoff between the mean and deviation of performance is made to solve the robust optimization problem of the double wishbone suspension system.

The performance of the suspension system is one of the most important factors in the vehicle design. For the double wishbone suspension system, the conventional deterministic optimization does not consider any deviations of design parameters, so design sensitivity analysis and robust optimization design are proposed. In this study, the design parameters of the robust optimization are the positions of the key points, and the random factors are the uncertainties in manufacturing. A simplified model of the double wishbone suspension is established by software ADAMS. The sensitivity analysis is utilized to determine main design variables. Then, the simulation experiment is arranged and the Latin hypercube design is adopted to find the initial points. The Kriging model is employed for fitting the mean and variance of the quality characteristics according to the simulation results. Further, a particle swarm optimization method based on simple PSO is applied and the tradeoff between the mean and deviation of performance is made to solve the robust optimization problem of the double wishbone suspension system. PMID:24683334

The performance of the suspension system is one of the most important factors in the vehicle design. For the double wishbone suspension system, the conventional deterministic optimization does not consider any deviations of design parameters, so design sensitivity analysis and robust optimization design are proposed. In this study, the design parameters of the robust optimization are the positions of the key points, and the random factors are the uncertainties in manufacturing. A simplified model of the double wishbone suspension is established by software ADAMS. The sensitivity analysis is utilized to determine main design variables. Then, the simulation experiment is arranged and the Latin hypercube design is adopted to find the initial points. The Kriging model is employed for fitting the mean and variance of the quality characteristics according to the simulation results. Further, a particle swarm optimization method based on simple PSO is applied and the tradeoff between the mean and deviation of performance is made to solve the robust optimization problem of the double wishbone suspension system.

Tension and suspense are powerful emotional experiences that occur in a wide variety of contexts (e.g., in music, film, literature, and everyday life). The omnipresence of tension and suspense suggests that they build on very basic cognitive and affective mechanisms. However, the psychological underpinnings of tension experiences remain largely unexplained, and tension and suspense are rarely discussed from a general, domain-independent perspective. In this paper, we argue that tension experiences in different contexts (e.g., musical tension or suspense in a movie) build on the same underlying psychological processes. We discuss key components of tension experiences and propose a domain-independent model of tension and suspense. According to this model, tension experiences originate from states of conflict, instability, dissonance, or uncertainty that trigger predictive processes directed at future events of emotional significance. We also discuss possible neural mechanisms underlying tension and suspense. The model provides a theoretical framework that can inform future empirical research on tension phenomena.

A fault-tolerant fuzzy H∞ control design approach for active suspension of in-wheel motor driven electric vehicles in the presence of sprung mass variation, actuator faults and control input constraints is proposed. The controller is designed based on the quarter-car active suspension model with a dynamic-damping-in-wheel-motor-driven-system, in which the suspended motor is operated as a dynamic absorber. The Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model is used to model this suspension with possible sprung mass variation. The parallel-distributed compensation (PDC) scheme is deployed to derive a fault-tolerant fuzzy controller for the T-S fuzzy suspension model. In order to reduce the motor wear caused by the dynamic force transmitted to the in-wheel motor, the dynamic force is taken as an additional controlled output besides the traditional optimization objectives such as sprung mass acceleration, suspension deflection and actuator saturation. The H∞ performance of the proposed controller is derived as linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) comprising three equality constraints which are solved efficiently by means of MATLAB LMI Toolbox. The proposed controller is applied to an electric vehicle suspension and its effectiveness is demonstrated through computer simulation.

precision in force measuring or vibration isolation which are required. Note that the stiffness of a magnetic suspension usually increases when it must compensate for a large static force and the increase of stiffness changes drastically the vibration isolation characteristics. It is also possible to support the rotor using a separate controlled electromagnet, but the latter will introduce disturbances which make impossible to evaluate the performances of the magnetic levitation system. Moreover, the sensitivity of the device to the operating conditions makes testing in conditions so different from the actual ones of very little significance. This is particularly true when accurate force measuring or vibration isolation is required or when low power consumption is one of the design specifications. Finally, if an external electromagnetic device is used for compensating for weight, its presence changes the stiffness of the system, to the point of altering drastically its stability characteristics. Parabolic flight is not a solution for this problem: the duration of low gravity conditions during parabolic flights is too short to perform significant experiments on magnetic suspension systems, particularly if the natural frequency of the suspension is very low as is typical of devices aimed at the isolation from low frequency vibrations. The environment in which parabolic flight testing is performed is also too rough for accurate testing. The availability of the space station changes deeply this situation: magnetic levitation systems built for space application can be tested in conditions which are very close to the operating ones. Although the space station environment is not vibrationally so clean as it would be necessary for some application, it is nevertheless far better than any simulated environment on the ground. The present paper deals with the design and construction of an engineering model of an inertia wheel on AMB. The aim of the project is to test the performance of

The effective longitudinal and transverse shear viscosities are derived for an aligned fiber suspension. The solutions are valid under very concentrated conditions for a hexagonal arrangement of the single size fibers. The results compliment the classical dilute suspension forms at the other extreme of concentration. Empirical forms are constructed to cover the full range of volume fraction of the fiber phase. Also, single size spherical particle suspensions are given a similar treatment to that of the fiber case

The semi-solid casting process has the advantage of providing reliable mechanical aluminum parts that work continuously in dynamic as control arm of the suspension system in automotive vehicles. The quality performance of dynamic control arm is related to casting mold and gating system designs that affect the fluidity of semi-solid metal during filling the mold. Therefore, this study focuses on improvement in mechanical performance, depending on material characterization, and casting design optimization, of suspension control arms made of A357 aluminum semi-solid alloys. Mechanical and design analyses, applied on the suspension arm, showed the occurrence of mechanical failures at unexpected weak points. Metallurgical analysis showed that the main reason lies in the difficult flow of semi-solid paste through the thin thicknesses of a complex geometry. A design modification procedure is applied to the geometry of the suspension arm to avoid this problem and to improve its quality performance. The design modification of parts was carried out by using SolidWorks design software, evaluation of constraints with ABAQUS, and simulation of flow with ProCast software. The proposed designs showed that the modified suspension arm, without ribs and with a central canvas designed as Z, is considered as a perfect casting design showing an increase in the structural strength of the component. In this case, maximum von Mises stress is 199 MPa that is below the yield strength of the material. The modified casting mold design shows a high uniformity and minim turbulence of molten metal flow during semi-solid casting process.

Designing processing equipment for the mixing of settling suspensions is a challenging problem. Achieving low-cost mixing is especially difficult for the application of slowly reacting suspended solids because the cost of impeller power consumption becomes quite high due to the long reaction times (batch mode) or due to large-volume reactors (continuous mode). Further, the usual scale-up metrics for mixing, e.g., constant tip speed and constant power per volume, do not apply well for mixing of suspensions. As an alternative, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) can be useful for analyzing mixing at multiple scales and determining appropriate mixer designs and operating parameters. We developed a mixture model to describe the hydrodynamics of a settling cellulose suspension. The suspension motion is represented as a single velocity field in a computationally efficient Eulerian framework. The solids are represented by a scalar volume-fraction field that undergoes transport due to particle diffusion, settling, fluid advection, and shear stress. A settling model and a viscosity model, both functions of volume fraction, were selected to fit experimental settling and viscosity data, respectively. Simulations were performed with the open-source Nek5000 CFD program, which is based on the high-order spectral-finite-element method. Simulations were performed for the cellulose suspension undergoing mixing in a laboratory-scale vane mixer. The settled-bed heights predicted by the simulations were in semi-quantitative agreement with experimental observations. Further, the simulation results were in quantitative agreement with experimentally obtained torque and mixing-rate data, including a characteristic torque bifurcation. In future work, we plan to couple this CFD model with a reaction-kinetics model for the enzymatic digestion of cellulose, allowing us to predict enzymatic digestion performance for various mixing intensities and novel reactor designs.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Balcones Technologies, LLC proposes to adapt actively controlled suspension technology developed by The University of Texas at Austin Center for Electromechanics...

Technical and economical assessments of magnetic suspensions for high speed vehicles and transport systems are reported. In these suspensions the suspending magnet takes the form of a powerful superconducting electromagnet that induces currents while it moves over conducting sheets or loops. A number of vehicle track designs are evaluated for operating cost effectiveness. It is shown that propulsion systems using power collected from the track are more expensive than those using power generated onboard the vehicle, and that the conducting sheet suspension is slightly more expensive than the null flux suspension.

The design of process for cementation of radioactive waste solutions is determined not only by the quality of the final product but also by the behavior of the cement grout before and during setting. For these reasons quantitative investigations were performed on the characteristics of the cement suspensions considered for solidification of intermediate-level liquid wastes which are composed mainly of cement, bentonite, simulated waste solution, and water. Particular interest was given to the differences in behavior of the various types of cement. The parameters investigated include viscosity, bleeding, volume change during setting, influence of compacting by vibration, time of setting, heat of hydration. At the end of the report the merits and drawbacks of the different cements are tabulated. These data may serve as a decision aid in selecting an appropriate type of cement

Full Text Available Abstract The Hercílio Luz suspension bridge, built in 1926, has been out of service since 1991 due to high corrosion levels and structural element impairment. A complete rehabilitation project was developed which included the replacement of the impaired items and foundation strengthening. For this, an auxiliary structure was employed to support the central span during the rehabilitation process. A carefully studied load transfer process, where the central span loading is transferred from the eye-bar towards the auxiliary structure will be performed. For this purpose, a synchronized jacking sequence will be used, which was predefined by means of numerical model analysis. All structural elements had their designs evaluated and some geometric changes were implemented. This paper presents all the methodology developed in the rehabilitation project of Hercilio Luz bridge, as well as the development stages up to the present date.

Full Text Available The paper presents the computational studies of microstructure- and topography- related features of suspension plasma sprayed (SPS coatings of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ. The study mainly covers the porosity assessment, provided by ImageJ software analysis. The influence of boundary conditions, defined by: (i circularity and (ii size limits, on the computed values of porosity is also investigated. Additionally, the digital topography evaluation is performed: confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM and scanning electron microscope (SEM operating in Shape from Shading (SFS mode measure surface roughness of deposited coatings. Computed values of porosity and roughness are referred to the variables of the spraying process, which influence the morphology of coatings and determines the possible fields of their applications.

Full Text Available Drawing an analogy to the liquid phase of natural materials, we theoretically propose a microsphere suspension model to realize a metamaterial fluid with artificial electromagnetic indexes. By immersing high-ε, micrometer-sized dielectric spheres in a low-ε insulating oil, the structured fluid exhibits liquid-like properties from dispersing phase as well as the isotropic negative electromagnetic parameters caused by Mie resonances from dispersed microspheres. The work presented here will benefit the development of structured fluids toward metamaterials.

Molecular dynamics simulations of a charged colloidal suspension in the salt-free regime show that the system exhibits an electrical conductivity maximum as a function of colloid charge. We attribute this behavior to two main competing effects: colloid effective charge saturation due to counterion 'condensation' and diffusion slowdown due to the relaxation effect. In agreement with previous observations, we also find that the effective transported charge is larger than the one determined by the Stern layer and suggest that it corresponds to the boundary fluid layer at the surface of the colloidal particles.

Particle-level simulations are conducted to study magnetorheological fluids in plane Poiseuille flow. The importance of the boundary conditions for the particles at the channel walls is examined by considering two extreme cases: no friction and infinite coefficient of friction. The inclusion of friction produces Bingham fluid behavior, as commonly observed experimentally for MR suspensions. Lamellar structures, similar to those reported for electrorheological fluids in shear flow, are observed in the post-yield region for both particle boundary conditions. The formation of these lamellae is accompanied by an increase in the bulk fluid velocity. The slip boundary condition produces higher fluid velocities and thicker lamellar structures. (orig.)

The seal is described of jacket thermocouples located in the pressure reducer in the fuel element suspension rod. The thermocouples are sealed in the pressure reducer with a silicon sealing compound. The sealing compound is compressed between the two reducers with a Bellevile spring and a pressure washer secured in position with a spring. The axial pressure of the inner parts of the reducer on the compound is adjustable by means of a thrust screw. The tightness and alignment of the thermocouples in the pressure reducer is achieved by tightening the thrust screw to the stop of the top reducer and the subsequent setting of the sealing compound. (J.B.)

Full Text Available Active seat suspensions can be used to reduce the harmful vertical vibration of a vehicle’s seat by applying an external force using a closed loop controller. Many of the controllers found in the literature are difficult to implement practically, because they are based on using unavailable or difficult and costly measurements. This paper presents both simulation and experimental studies of five novel, simple, and cost-effective control strategies to be used for an active seat suspension in order to improve ride comfort at low frequencies below 20 Hz. These strategies use available and measurable feedforward (preview information states from the vehicle secondary suspension, as well as feedback states from the seat suspension, together with gains optimised to minimise the occupant vibration. The gains were optimised using a genetic algorithm (GA, with a fitness function based on the seat effective amplitude transmissibility (SEAT factor. Constraints on the control force and the seat suspension stroke were also included in the optimisation algorithm. Simulation and laboratory experimental tests were carried out to assess the performance of the proposed controllers according to the ISO 2631-1 standard, in both the frequency and time domains with a range of different road profiles. The experimental tests were performed using a multi-axis simulation table (MAST and a physical active seat suspension configured as a hardware-in-loop (HIL simulation with a virtual linear quarter vehicle model (QvM. The results demonstrate that the proposed controllers substantially attenuate the vertical vibration at the driver’s seat compared with both a passive and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID active seat suspension and thus improve ride comfort together with reducing vibration-linked health risks. Moreover, experimental results show that employing both feedforward information and feedback vehicle body and seat acceleration signals in the controller

The release of 3 methylxanthines, i.e. caffeine, theobromine and theophylline, from suspensions in liquid paraffin to an aqueous phase was determined in an in vitro apparatus. The release rates were determined as a function of the pH of the aqueous phase. It was proved that the release process was

Full Text Available A suspension system is responsible for the safety of vehicle during its manoeuvre. It serves the dual purpose of providing stability to the vehicle while providing a comfortable ride quality to the occupants. Recent trends in suspension system have focused on improving comfort and handling of vehicles while keeping the cost, space and feasibility of manufacturing in the constraint. This paper proposes a method for improving handling characteristics of a vehicle by controlling camber and toe angle using variable length arms in an adaptive manner. In order to study the effect of dynamic characteristics of the suspension system, a simulation study has been done in this work. A quarter car physical model with double wishbone suspension geometry is modelled in SolidWorks. It is then imported and simulated using SimMechanics platform in MATLAB. The output characteristics of the passive system (without variable length arms were validated on MSC ADAMS software. The adaptive system intends to improve vehicle handling characteristics by controlling the camber and toe angles. This is accomplished by two telescopic arms with an actuator which changes the camber and toe angle of the wheel dynamically to deliver best possible traction and manoeuvrability. Two PID controllers are employed to trigger the actuators based on the camber and toe angle from the sensors for reducing the error existing between the actual and desired value. The arms are driven by actuators in a closed loop feedback manner with help of a separate control system. Comparison between active and passive systems is carried out by analysing graphs of various parameters obtained from MATLAB simulation. From the results, it is observed that there is a reduction of 58% in the camber and 96% in toe gain. Hence, the system provides the scope of considerable adaptive strategy in controlling dynamic characteristics of the suspension system.

Nanoparticle suspensions in liquids have received great attention, as they may offer an approach to enhance thermophysical properties of base fluids. A good variety of applications in engineering and biomedicine has been investigated with the aim of exploiting the above potential. However, the multiscale nature of nanosuspensions raises several issues in defining a comprehensive modelling framework, incorporating relevant molecular details and much larger scale phenomena, such as particle aggregation and their dynamics. The objectives of the present topical review is to report and discuss the main heat and mass transport phenomena ruling macroscopic behaviour of nanosuspensions, arising from molecular details. Relevant experimental results are included and properly put in the context of recent observations and theoretical studies, which solved long-standing debates about thermophysical properties enhancement. Major transport phenomena are discussed and in-depth analysis is carried out for highlighting the role of geometrical (nanoparticle shape, size, aggregation, concentration), chemical (pH, surfactants, functionalization) and physical parameters (temperature, density). We finally overview several computational techniques available at different scales with the aim of drawing the attention on the need for truly multiscale predictive models. This may help the development of next-generation nanoparticle suspensions and their rational use in thermal applications. (topical review)

We investigate the magnetophoretic separation of magnetic microparticles from a non-dilute flow in a microfluidic channel and their subsequent field-induced aggregation under the influence of an externally applied magnetic force. This force induces dipolar interactions between the particles that aid in their separation from the flow. Existing analytical models for dilute suspensions cannot be extended to non-dilute suspensions in which interparticle magnetic interactions play an important role. We therefore conduct a parametric investigation of the mechanics of this problem in a microcapillary flow through simulations and experimental visualization. When a magnetic field is applied, the magnetic microparticles form an aggregate on the channel wall that is influenced by the competition between the holding magnetic force and the aggregate-depleting flow shear force. Microparticle collection in the aggregate increases linearly with increasing magnetic field strength and is characterized by distinct buildup and washaway phases. The collected microparticle volume fraction in an aggregate is found to depend on a single dimensional group that depends upon characteristic system parameters.

Suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles offer diverse opportunities for technology innovation, spanning a large number of industry sectors from imaging and actuation based applications in biomedicine and biotechnology, through large-scale environmental remediation uses such as water purification, to engineering-based applications such as position-controlled lubricants and soaps. Continuous advances in their manufacture have produced an ever-growing range of products, each with their own unique properties. At the same time, the characterisation of magnetic nanoparticles is often complex, and expert knowledge is needed to correctly interpret the measurement data. In many cases, the stringent requirements of the end-user technologies dictate that magnetic nanoparticle products should be clearly defined, well characterised, consistent and safe; or to put it another way—standardised. The aims of this document are to outline the concepts and terminology necessary for discussion of magnetic nanoparticles, to examine the current state-of-the-art in characterisation methods necessary for the most prominent applications of magnetic nanoparticle suspensions, to suggest a possible structure for the future development of standardisation within the field, and to identify areas and topics which deserve to be the focus of future work items. We discuss potential roadmaps for the future standardisation of this developing industry, and the likely challenges to be encountered along the way.

This study is aimed quantify dissipated power in a damper of automobile suspension to predict energy harvesting potential of a passenger car more accurately. Field measurements of power dissipation in a regenerative damper are still rare. The novelty is in using the broad database of real road profiles, a 9 degrees-of-freedom full-car model with real parameters, and a tyre-enveloping contact model. Results were presented as a function of road surface type, velocity and road roughness characterised by International Roughness Index. Results were calculated for 1600 test sections of a total length about 253.5 km. Root mean square of a dissipated power was calculated from 19 to 46 W for all four suspension dampers and velocity 60 km/h and from 24 to 58 W for velocity 90 km/h. Results were compared for a full-car model with a tyre-enveloping road contact, full-car and quarter-car models with a tyre-road point contact. Mean difference among three models in calculated power was a few per cent.

In this paper, we describe the conceptual design for the suspension system for the test masses for Advanced LIGO, the planned upgrade to LIGO, the US laser interferometric gravitational-wave observatory. The design is based on the triple pendulum design developed for GEO 600 - the German/UK interferometric gravitational wave detector. The GEO design incorporates fused silica fibres of circular cross-section attached to the fused silica mirror (test mass) in the lowest pendulum stage, in order to minimize the thermal noise from the pendulum modes. The damping of the low-frequency modes of the triple pendulum is achieved by using co-located sensors and actuators at the highest mass of the triple pendulum. Another feature of the design is that global control forces acting on the mirrors, used to maintain the output of the interferometer on a dark fringe, are applied via a triple reaction pendulum, so that these forces can be implemented via a seismically isolated platform. These techniques have been extended to meet the more stringent noise levels planned for in Advanced LIGO. In particular, the Advanced LIGO baseline design requires a quadruple pendulum with a final stage consisting of a 40 kg sapphire mirror, suspended on fused silica ribbons or fibres. The design is chosen to aim to reach a target noise contribution from the suspension corresponding to a displacement sensitivity of 10 -19 m Hz -1/2 at 10 Hz at each of the test masses

Suspensions of magnetic nanoparticles offer diverse opportunities for technology innovation, spanning a large number of industry sectors from imaging and actuation based applications in biomedicine and biotechnology, through large-scale environmental remediation uses such as water purification, to engineering-based applications such as position-controlled lubricants and soaps. Continuous advances in their manufacture have produced an ever-growing range of products, each with their own unique properties. At the same time, the characterisation of magnetic nanoparticles is often complex, and expert knowledge is needed to correctly interpret the measurement data. In many cases, the stringent requirements of the end-user technologies dictate that magnetic nanoparticle products should be clearly defined, well characterised, consistent and safe; or to put it another way—standardised. The aims of this document are to outline the concepts and terminology necessary for discussion of magnetic nanoparticles, to examine the current state-of-the-art in characterisation methods necessary for the most prominent applications of magnetic nanoparticle suspensions, to suggest a possible structure for the future development of standardisation within the field, and to identify areas and topics which deserve to be the focus of future work items. We discuss potential roadmaps for the future standardisation of this developing industry, and the likely challenges to be encountered along the way. (topical review)

In our laboratory, we study hydrodynamics of suspensions of micro-swimmers. These micro-organisms are unicellular algae Chlamydomonas Rheinhardii which are able to swim by using their flagella. The swimming dynamics of these micro-swimmers can be seen as a random walk, in absence of any kind of interaction. In addition, these algae have the property of being phototactic, i.e. they swim towards the light. Combining this property with a hydrodynamic flow, we were able to reversibly separate algae from the rest of the fluid. But for sufficiently high volume fraction, these active particles interact with each other. We are now interested in how the coupling of hydrodynamic interactions between swimmers and phototaxis can modify the swimming dynamics at the scale of the suspension. To this aim, we conduct experiments in microfluidic devices to study the dispersion of the micro-organisms in a the liquid phase as a function of the volume fraction. We show that the dispersion of an assembly of puller type microswimmers is quantitatively affected by hydrodynamics interactions. Phd student.

A model-based condition monitoring strategy for the railway vehicle suspension is proposed in this paper. This approach is based on recursive least square (RLS) algorithm focusing on the deterministic 'input-output' model. RLS has Kalman filtering feature and is able to identify the unknown parameters from a noisy dynamic system by memorising the correlation properties of variables. The identification of suspension parameter is achieved by machine learning of the relationship between excitation and response in a vehicle dynamic system. A fault detection method for the vertical primary suspension is illustrated as an instance of this condition monitoring scheme. Simulation results from the rail vehicle dynamics software 'ADTreS' are utilised as 'virtual measurements' considering a trailer car of Italian ETR500 high-speed train. The field test data from an E464 locomotive are also employed to validate the feasibility of this strategy for the real application. Results of the parameter identification performed indicate that estimated suspension parameters are consistent or approximate with the reference values. These results provide the supporting evidence that this fault diagnosis technique is capable of paving the way for the future vehicle condition monitoring system.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the contamination rate of barium sulfate suspension made in the exposed state in usual circumstances. This study was performed in four university hospital using the contrast media by barium sulfate powder. The specimen were detected at dispensing water, agitator and mixing tank. We also classified the suspension into general bacteria, mycete and Bacillus coli infection. The tap water were used to dispense water in the all hospitals. Bacillus coli were not detected in the all. General bacteria and mycete were not detected in the one specimen, but detected in two specimen over defined value. In the contamination rate of agitator, mixing tank, and the manufactured. Bacillus coli were not detected in all. However, general bacteria and mycete were detected too numberous to count. In conclusion, the refined water must be used in dispensing water in manufacturing suspension. The disinfectant is also used in washing the agitator and mixing tank for sterilization. Hand washing is indispensable to manufacturing suspension for preventing from infection

This work deals with the role of polar interactions on the viscosity and sedimentation behaviors of magnetorheological suspensions with micro-sized magnetic particles dispersed in oil carriers. The oleic acid and dimer acid were employed to make an adjustment of the hydrophobicity of iron particles, in the interest of performing a comparative evaluation of the contributions of the surface polarity. The viscosity tests show that the adsorbed surfactant layer may impose a hindrance to the movement of iron particles in the oil medium. The polar attractions between dimer acid covered particles gave rise to a considerable increase in viscosity, indicating flocculation structure developed in the suspensions. The observed plateau-like region in the vicinity of 0.1 s-1 for MRF containing dimer acid is possibly due to the flocculation provoked by the carboxylic polar attraction, in which the structure is stable against fragmentation. Moreover, a quick recovery of the viscosity and a higher viscosity-temperature index also suggest the existence of particle-particle polar interaction in the suspensions containing dimer acid. The sedimentation measurements reveal that the steric repulsion of oleic acid plays a limited role in the stability of suspensions only if a large quantity of surfactant was used. The sedimentation results observed in the dimer acid covered particles confirm that loose and open flocculation was formed and enhanced sedimentation stability.

Full Text Available This work presents a novel semiactive model of a one-half lateral vehicle suspension. The contribution of this research is the inclusion of actuator dynamics (two magnetorheological nonlinear dampers in the modelling, which means that more realistic outcomes will be obtained, because, in real life, actuators have physical limitations. Takagi-Sugeno (T-S fuzzy approach is applied to a four-degree-of-freedom (4-DOF lateral one-half vehicle suspension. The system has two magnetorheological (MR dampers, whose numerical values come from a real characterization. T-S allows handling suspension’s components and actuator’s nonlinearities (hysteresis, saturation, and viscoplasticity by means of a set of linear subsystems interconnected via fuzzy membership functions. Due to their linearity, each subsystem can be handled with the very well-known control theory, for example, stability and performance indexes (this is an advantage of the T-S approach. To the best of authors’ knowledge, reported work does not include the aforementioned nonlinearities in the modelling. The generated model is validated via a case of study with simulation results. This research is paramount because it introduces a more accurate (the actuator dynamics, a complex nonlinear subsystem model that could be applied to one-half vehicle suspension control purposes. Suspension systems are extremely important for passenger comfort and stability in ground vehicles.

Electrochemical flow capacitor (EFC) is a promising technology for grid energy storage, which combines the fast charging/discharging capability of supercapacitors with the scalable energy capacity of flow batteries. In this study, we report a high-power-density EFC using mesoporous carbon microspheres (MCMs) as suspension electrodes. By using a simple yet effective spray-drying technique, monodispersed MCMs with average particle size of 5 μm, high BET surface area of 1150-1267 m2 g-1, large pore volume of 2-4 cm3 g-1 and controllable mesopore size of 7-30 nm have been successfully prepared. The resultant MCMs suspension electrode shows excellent stability and considerable high capacitance of 100 F g-1 and good cycling ability (86% of initial capacitance after 10000 cycles). Specially, the suspension electrode exhibits excellent rate performance with 75% capacitance retention from 2 to 100 mV s-1, significantly higher than that of microporous carbon electrodes (20∼30%), due to the developed mesoporous channels facilitating for rapid ion diffusion. In addition, the electrochemical responses on both negative and positive suspension electrodes are studied, based on which an optimal capacitance matching between them is suggested for large-scale EFC unit.

An HTS linear synchronous propulsion prototype with an HTSLSM drive is developed. The feasibility of combining an HTSLSM with an HTS magnetic suspension system has been verified. Three different PMGs are studied by ECS method and experiment verification to obtain an optimal one. The prototype has been tested to obtain the performance and thrust characteristics of the HTSLSM. The measurement results benefit the optimal design and control scheme development for an HTSLSM. A high temperature superconducting (HTS) linear propulsion system composed of a single-sided HTS linear synchronous motor (HTSLSM) in its middle and HTS magnetic suspension sub-systems on both sides has been developed. The HTSLSM uses an HTS bulk magnet array on the moving secondary, and the field-trapped characteristics of the HTS bulk using different magnetized methods have been measured and compared to identify their magnetization capability. In order to generate a large levitation force for the system, three different types of permanent magnet guideways (PMGs) have been numerically analyzed and experimentally verified to obtain an optimal PMG. Based on comprehensive experimental prototype tests, the results show that the HTS linear propulsion system can run with stable magnetic suspension having a constant air-gap length, and the thrust characteristics versus the exciting current, working frequency and the air-gap length have also been obtained. This work forms the basis for developing a practical HTS linear propulsion system by using HTS bulks both for propulsion and suspension.

The formulation of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) as oral solution or suspension in pediatrics is a habitual practice, due to the non-existence of many commercialized medicines in pediatric doses. It is also the simplest way to prepare and administer them to this vulnerable population. The design of a formulation that assures the dose and the system stability depends on the physico-chemical properties of the API. In this study, we formulate a class IV API, Acetazolamide (AZM) as suspension for oral administration to pediatric population. The suspension must comply attributes of quality, safety and efficacy for this route of administration. We use simple compounding procedures, as well as fewer pure excipients, as recommended for children. Mass and uniformity content assays and physical and chemical stability studies were performed. To quantify the API an UPLC method was used. We verified the physico-chemical stability of the suspensions and that they passed the mass test of the European Pharmacopeia (EP), but not the dose uniformity test. This reveals that AZM must be formulated as liquid forms with a more complex system of excipients (not usually indicated in pediatrics), or otherwise solid forms capable of assuring uniformity of mass and dose for every dosage unit.

Surface charging mechanism of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x (YBCO) particles in water has been investigated in order to understand their colloidal behaviour and stabilise concentrated suspensions. A broad study relating the suspension parameters (pH and zeta potential) vs. the conditions of the suspensionperformance (atmosphere and time) has been shown and discussed. The zeta potential values remain positive in all the pH range for the highest powder concentration studied (10 g l -1 ), evidencing a large influence of the solid content in the particle charge. The chemistry of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-x in water has been studied through the chemical analysis of the supernatant by inductively coupled plasma (ICP), and the surface analysis of the particles by X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The presence of BaCO 3 , CuO, and the hydrolysed Ba species, such as Ba(OH) 2 and Ba(OH) + , at the particles surface has been evaluated as a function of the powder concentration. Based on these analyses, the dependence of the colloidal behaviour of YBCO on the presence of Ba soluble species has been determined. A stabilisation mechanism for YBCO particles in aqueous suspension focus on the powders deleterious minimization was proposed.

Historically, the chosen method of discipline in United States schools has gone from corporal punishment to an emphasis on suspension. Recently, as principals have become less certain about the extent of their authority to suspend students, many inschool programs have been developed as alternatives to suspension. Among the advantages of such…

Explores the legal implications of in-school suspension practices through consideration of individual versus institutional rights within a special punitive-rehabilitative setting. Argues that the prison hospital model is applicable to in-school suspension programs and discusses a number of legal questions raised by the prison hospital model.…

... 12 Banks and Banking 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Suspension and debarment. 513.4 Section 513.4 Banks and Banking OFFICE OF THRIFT SUPERVISION, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY PRACTICE BEFORE THE OFFICE § 513.4 Suspension and debarment. (a) The Office may censure any person practicing before it or may deny...

The various possible magnetic suspension configurations compatible with rotating mechanical systems are defined from studies of the characteristics of different types of magnetic bearings. The results obtained are used in the design and realization of a magnetic suspension for an inertial flywheel. (author) [fr

... 45 Public Welfare 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Suspension of rules. 99.4 Section 99.4 Public Welfare DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL ADMINISTRATION PROCEDURE FOR HEARINGS FOR THE CHILD CARE AND DEVELOPMENT FUND General § 99.4 Suspension of rules. With notice to all parties, the...

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Bacterial suspensions under shear exhibit interesting rheological behaviors including the remarkable ``superfluidic'' state with vanishing viscosity at low shear rates. Theoretical studies have shown that such ``superfluidic'' state is linked with non-homogeneous shear flows, which are induced by coupling between nematic order of active fluids and hydrodynamics of shear flows. However, although bulk rheology of bacterial suspensions has been experimentally studied, shear profiles within bacterial suspensions have not been explored so far. Here, we experimentally investigate the flow behaviors of E. coli suspensions under planar oscillatory shear. Using confocal microscopy and PIV, we measure velocity profiles across gap between two shear plates. We find that with increasing shear rates, high-concentration bacterial suspensions exhibit an array of non-homogeneous flow behaviors like yield-stress flows and shear banding. We show that these non-homogeneous flows are due to collective motion of bacterial suspensions. The phase diagram of sheared bacterial suspensions is systematically mapped as functions of shear rates an bacterial concentrations. Our experiments provide new insights into rheology of bacterial suspensions and shed light on shear induced dynamics of active fluids. Chemical Engineering and Material Science department.

In this commentary on the special series, I argue that whereas a zero-tolerance approach to school discipline is "something stupid" (Kauffman & Brigham, 2000) the use of suspension might not be. Despite its limitations, suspension and other forms of punishment serve as effective deterrents of behavior problems for most children, especially when…

Full Text Available An ADAMS model of South Africa’s first ever Le Mans car was developed and used to tune the suspension parameters. Validation of the model is to be done by comparing simulation results to those obtained in track testing. The suspension parameters...

In this study, aged aqueous suspensions of C(60) (nC(60)) were investigated in the respirometric OECD test for ready biodegradability. Two suspensions of nC(60) were prepared by stirring and aged under indirect exposure to sunlight for 36 months. ATR-FTIR analyses confirmed the presence of C(60)-...

The effect of great increase in radiation resistance of insulin solutions and suspensions after irradiation at low temperatures in the frozen state was observed by absorption spectrophotometry, paper chromatography and biological analysis. The data obtained suggest irradiation of frozen insulin solutions and suspensions as a method for its sterilization.

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the topical issue, which is related to simulation of the failures of drives suspensions of the conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive. Using the developed mathematical model of the failures drives suspensions due to jamming rollers to the reference design of conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive is performed modelling of dynamic characteristics. Investigation of the influence of the location of the failed drives suspensions on the track on the main technical characteristics of the conveyor belt with suspended belt was carried out.

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the topical issue, which is related to simulation of the failures of drives suspensions of the conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive. Using the developed mathematical model of the failures drives suspensions due to the breakage of the electric circuit to the reference design of conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive is performed modelling of dynamic characteristics. Investigation of the influence of the location of the failed drives suspensions on the track on the main technical characteristics of the conveyor belt with suspended belt was carried out.

The electrophoretic deposition is a method useful to prepare conjugated polymer films for electronic devices. This method provides high material recovery rate on the substrate from the suspension, in contrast to the conventional spin-coating in which most of the material placed on the substrate is blown away. Although manual reprecipitation technique successfully yields suspensions of various conjugated polymers including polyfluorene derivatives, it is favorable to control the preparation process of suspensions. In this context, this paper reports preliminary results on the preparation of suspension of conjugated polymer by using an ultrasonic atomizer. While the resultant films do not show particular difference due to the preparation methods of the suspension, the electric current profiles during the electrophoretic deposition suggests that the ultrasonic atomization of polymer solution prior to be mixed with poor solvent results in smaller and less uniform colloidal particles than the conventional manual pouring method.

Full Text Available Low-frequency vibrations (0.5–5 Hz that harm drivers occur in off-road vehicles. Thus, researchers have focused on finding methods to effectively isolate or control low-frequency vibrations. A novel nonlinear seat suspension structure for off-road vehicles is designed, whose static characteristics and seat-human system dynamic response are modeled and analyzed, and experiments are conducted to verify the theoretical solutions. Results show that the stiffness of this nonlinear seat suspension could achieve real zero stiffness through well-matched parameters, and precompression of the main spring could change the nonlinear seat suspensionperformance when a driver’s weight changes. The displacement transmissibility curve corresponds with the static characteristic curve of nonlinear suspension, where the middle part of the static characteristic curve is gentler and the resonance frequency of the displacement transmissibility curve and the isolation minimum frequency are lower. Damping should correspond with static characteristics, in which the corresponding suspension damping value should be smaller given a flatter static characteristic curve to prevent vibration isolation performance reduction.

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The correlation equation for discharge coefficient has been proposed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The spray angle increases with increase in GLR until a maximum value is attained at GLR value of 0.07. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The equation for SMD has been proposed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The C{sub D} and SMD are decreasing rapidly as GLR is increased to around 0.07 and thereafter decreasing at a slower rate. - Abstract: The paper contains the results of experimental investigation of air-water and air-silica suspension atomization process in effervescent nozzles with internal mixing obtained by the use of the digital microphotography method. In experiments the different aqueous solutions of silica Aerosil 300 of different concentration have been used. The suspensions containing up to 0.04 (kg solid particles/kg solution) have Newtonian rheological properties. The observations were carried out at liquid flow rates changed from 0.0014 to 0.011 (kg/s) and gas flow rates from 0.00015 to 0.0065 (kg/s). It corresponded to gas to liquid mass ratios (GLR) values from 0.014 to 0.46. The analysis of photos shows that the droplets which have been formed during the liquid atomization have very different sizes. The differences between characteristics of effervescent atomization for water and suspensions used have not been observed. The present study confirmed the previous reports which suggested that the small particles added to solution do not change spray characteristics. The experimental results show that C{sub D} and SMD are non-linear functions of GLR. Their values are decreasing rapidly as GLR is increased from zero to around 0.07 and thereafter decreasing at a slower rate with further increase in GLR. In the same point (GLR = 0.07) the value of {alpha} is maximal. The first regime is characteristic for bubbly flow. The second is typical of annular flow regime. Boundary between bubbly and annular flow regime is observed

This work deals with the role of polar interactions on the viscosity and sedimentation behaviors of magnetorheological suspensions with micro-sized magnetic particles dispersed in oil carriers. The oleic acid and dimer acid were employed to make an adjustment of the hydrophobicity of iron particles, in the interest of performing a comparative evaluation of the contributions of the surface polarity. The viscosity tests show that the adsorbed surfactant layer may impose a hindrance to the movement of iron particles in the oil medium. The polar attractions between dimer acid covered particles gave rise to a considerable increase in viscosity, indicating flocculation structure developed in the suspensions. The observed plateau-like region in the vicinity of 0.1 s{sup −1} for MRF containing dimer acid is possibly due to the flocculation provoked by the carboxylic polar attraction, in which the structure is stable against fragmentation. Moreover, a quick recovery of the viscosity and a higher viscosity-temperature index also suggest the existence of particle-particle polar interaction in the suspensions containing dimer acid. The sedimentation measurements reveal that the steric repulsion of oleic acid plays a limited role in the stability of suspensions only if a large quantity of surfactant was used. The sedimentation results observed in the dimer acid covered particles confirm that loose and open flocculation was formed and enhanced sedimentation stability. - Highlights: • Surfactants were employed to make adjustments of the hydrophobicity of particles. • Polar attractions between particles increased the viscosity considerably. • Loose and open flocculation was formed in CI/DA suspension. • The steric repulsion of oleic acid played a limited role in the stability.

Compression molding of chopped fiber composites is used to manufacture complex 3D geometries with high fiber volume fractions of 50-60% and long, discontinuous fibers and thermoplastic matrices. When prepreg, chopped into platelets, is used as a charge material, the individual platelets remain intact during the molding process and flow relative to one another, as experimental observations show. Heterogeneity of the platelet/resin suspension cannot be considered at the structural scale of molding simulation. Instead, the suspension should be idealized into the homogenized anisotropic and viscous system which obeys the prescribed anisotropic stress-strain rate constitutive relation. The viscosity tensor of the aforementioned constitutive law was analytically evaluated in this work through the representative volume element (RVE) based analysis. An idealized microstructure of platelets was developed to perform such an analysis. The platelets were aligned and arranged in a planar configuration with periodic boundary conditions. Analytic expressions for the effective, anisotropic viscosities were derived by micromechanical analysis for the idealized microstructure of rigid platelets. In this analysis, the load transfer mechanisms and their contribution to the viscosity of the platelet assembly were investigated. The kinematic assumption of linear velocity distributions consistent with the mechanism of shearing rate was adopted. While the platelets were assumed to be rigid, the resin was taken as an incompressible, isotropic fluid which provided for the platelet-to-platelet load transfer. Strain rate and temperature dependence were included by modeling the polymer matrix as a Carreau fluid. Shear strain in the resin was developed due to the relative motion of adjacent platelets. The resin shear strain rate was expressed in terms of the corresponding platelet velocities. Equilibrium of the platelet was used to relate the applied far-field stress to the average strain rate

This paper presents control performance of a full-vehicle suspension system featuring magnetorheological (MR) dampers via a discrete-time sliding mode control algorithm (DSMC). A cylindrical MR damper is designed by incorporating Bingham model of the MR fluid and the field-dependent damping characteristics of the MR damper are evaluated. A full-vehicle suspension model installed with independent four MR dampers is constructed and the governing equations which include vertical, pitch and roll motion are derived. A discrete-time control model is established with considering system uncertainties and a discrete-time sliding mode controller which has inherent robustness to model uncertainty and external disturbance is formulated. Vibration control performances under bump excitation are evaluated and presented.

Full Text Available A new hierarchical control strategy for active hydropneumatic suspension systems is proposed. This strategy considers the dynamic characteristics of the actuator. The top hierarchy controller uses a combined control scheme: a genetic algorithm- (GA- based self-tuning proportional-integral-derivative controller and a fuzzy logic controller. For practical implementations of the proposed control scheme, a GA-based self-learning process is initiated only when the defined performance index of vehicle dynamics exceeds a certain debounce time threshold. The designed control algorithm is implemented on a virtual prototype and cosimulations are performed with different road disturbance inputs. Cosimulation results show that the active hydropneumatic suspension system designed in this study significantly improves riding comfort characteristics of vehicles. The robustness and adaptability of the proposed controller are also examined when the control system is subjected to extremely rough road conditions.

This paper presents control performance of a full-vehicle suspension system featuring magnetorheological (MR) dampers via a discrete-time sliding mode control algorithm (DSMC). A cylindrical MR damper is designed by incorporating Bingham model of the MR fluid and the field-dependent damping characteristics of the MR damper are evaluated. A full-vehicle suspension model installed with independent four MR dampers is constructed and the governing equations which include vertical, pitch and roll motion are derived. A discrete-time control model is established with considering system uncertainties and a discrete-time sliding mode controller which has inherent robustness to model uncertainty and external disturbance is formulated. Vibration control performances under bump excitation are evaluated and presented.

The rich structure of equilibrium nematic suspensions, with their characteristic disclination defects, is modified when active forces come into play. The uniform nematic state is known to be unstable to splay (extensile) or bend (contractile) deformations above a critical activity. At even higher activity the flow becomes oscillatory and eventually turbulent. Using hydrodynamics, we classify the active flow regimes as functions of activity and order parameter friction for both contractile and extensile systems. The turbulent regime is marked by a non-zero steady state density of mobile defect pairs. The defect density itself scales with an ``active Ericksen number,'' defined as the ratio of the rate at which activity is injected into the system to the relaxation rate of orientational deformations. The work at Syracuse University was supported by the NSF on grant DMR-1004789 and by the Syracuse Soft Matter Program.

A suspension system for levitation and precision positioning of the niobium coated spherical quartz gyro rotor during orbital flight has been simulated. The system employs multiple controllers and estimators with microprocessor (Z80) controlled range switching. The resulting system handles external accelerations up to 1 g in the highest range yet in the lowest range, below 10 -6 g the sensor noise power spectral density produces only 10 -10 g rms in the rotor. The system is capable of automatic emergency switch up within 100 μsec. Switch down is automatic to expected flight levels of ± 5 x 10 -8 g. Positioning accuracy in all ranges including emergency switch up is ± 5 μin. static, and ± 50 μin. dynamic. The average acceleration during the mission should be 10 -10 g to attain the science data accuracy goal. (Auth.)

using CFD models and the aeroelastic stability boundary has been successfully determined when comparing two-dimensional flow situations using wind tunnel test data and CFD methods for the flow solution and two-degrees-of-freedom structural models in translation perpendicular to the flow direction......In recent years large span suspension bridges with very thin and slender profiles have been built without proportional increasing torsional and bending stiffness. As a consequence large deformations at the mid-span can occur with risk of aeroelastic instability and structural failure. Analysis...... of aeroelastic stability also named flutter stability is mostly based on semi-empirical engineering models, where model specific parameters, the so-called flutter derivatives, need calibration from wind tunnel tests or numerical methods. Several papers have been written about calibration of flutter derivatives...

Three-dimensional numerical simulations are performed to study the stability of a sedimenting suspension of weakly flexible fibers. It is well known that a suspension of rigid rods sedimenting under gravity at low Reynolds number is unstable to concentration fluctuations owing to hydrodynamic interactions. Flexible fibers, however, reorient while settling and even weak flexibility can alter their collective dynamics. In our recent work [Manikantan et al., “The instability of a sedimenting suspension of weakly flexible fibres,” J. Fluid Mech. 756, 935–964 (2014)], we developed a mean-field theory to predict the linear stability of such a system. Here, we verify these predictions using accurate and efficient particle simulations based on a slender-body model. We also demonstrate the mechanisms by which flexibility-induced reorientation alters suspension microstructure, and through it, its stability. Specifically, we first show that the anisotropy of the base state in the case of a suspension of flexible fibers has a destabilizing effect compared to a suspension of rigid rods. Second, a conflicting effect of flexibility is also shown to suppress particle clustering and slow down the growth of the instability. The relative magnitude of filament flexibility and rotational Brownian motion dictates which effect dominates, and our simulations qualitatively follow theoretically predicted trends. The mechanism for either effects is tied to the flexibility-induced reorientation of particles, which we illustrate using velocity and orientation statistics from our simulations. Finally, we also show that, in the case of an initially homogeneous and isotropic suspension, flexibility always acts to suppress the growth of the instability.

Three-dimensional numerical simulations are performed to study the stability of a sedimenting suspension of weakly flexible fibers. It is well known that a suspension of rigid rods sedimenting under gravity at low Reynolds number is unstable to concentration fluctuations owing to hydrodynamic interactions. Flexible fibers, however, reorient while settling and even weak flexibility can alter their collective dynamics. In our recent work [Manikantan et al., “The instability of a sedimenting suspension of weakly flexible fibres,” J. Fluid Mech. 756, 935–964 (2014)], we developed a mean-field theory to predict the linear stability of such a system. Here, we verify these predictions using accurate and efficient particle simulations based on a slender-body model. We also demonstrate the mechanisms by which flexibility-induced reorientation alters suspension microstructure, and through it, its stability. Specifically, we first show that the anisotropy of the base state in the case of a suspension of flexible fibers has a destabilizing effect compared to a suspension of rigid rods. Second, a conflicting effect of flexibility is also shown to suppress particle clustering and slow down the growth of the instability. The relative magnitude of filament flexibility and rotational Brownian motion dictates which effect dominates, and our simulations qualitatively follow theoretically predicted trends. The mechanism for either effects is tied to the flexibility-induced reorientation of particles, which we illustrate using velocity and orientation statistics from our simulations. Finally, we also show that, in the case of an initially homogeneous and isotropic suspension, flexibility always acts to suppress the growth of the instability

buffer is used as release media. Generally, the initial release of the drug salt from in situ suspensions occurred faster as compared to conventional suspensions, probably due to incomplete precipitation of the drug salt, and hence formation of supersaturated solutions where the rate of release......A rotating dialysis cell consisting of a small (10 ml) and a large compartment (1000 ml) was used to study the release of drug salt (bupivacaine 9-anthracene carboxylate) from (i). solutions, (ii). suspensions and (iii). in situ formed suspensions. Initial release experiments from suspensions...... indicated that the release of drug salt in deionized water was predominantly limited by the diffusion across the membrane whereas it is essentially dissolution rate controlled in 0.05 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.40). Thus, the in vitro model appears to have a potential in formulation screening when phosphate...

Full Text Available This study is about the impact of the performance and the sensitivity analysis for parameters of the torsion bar suspension in the electric sight-seeing car, which the authors’ laboratory designed and which is used in the authors’ university. The suspension stiffness was calculated by using the virtual work principle, the vector algebra, and tensor of finite rotation methods and was verified by the ADAMS software. Based on the random vibration analysis method, the paper analyzed the dynamic tire load (DTL, suspension working space (SWS, and comfort performance parameters. For the purpose of decreasing the displacement of the suspension and limiting the frequency of impacting the stop block, the paper examined the three parameters and optimized the basic parameters of the torsion bar. The results show that the method achieves a great effect and contributes an accurate value for the general layout design.

Full Text Available We analyze the current state of the prospects and problems of using computer technology to determine the operating parameters of movement of the vehicle. Scientific works related to the study of the properties of the vehicle smooth ride are studied. The following example shows that the modern researches of smooth ride do not pay enough attention to issues associated with the processes that occur in the suspension rod of a vehicle. Scientific works related to the choice of the optimal and simple CAD system for conducting computer simulation tests are overviewed. We developed an animating model of experimental car in SOLIDWORKS environment with the staff suspension rod and the suspension rod based on four-stage arm mechanism, which allows a wide range of tests of components of the vehicle. Methodology and hardware-software complex for testing a car are developed. A test of a vehicle of category N1 is conducted. A computer simulation of the motion of the smooth ride of the car with suspension rod based on four-stage arm mechanism is conducted. The comparative analysis of suspension rod performance based on four-stage arm mechanism is conducted.

Pednekar, Sidhant [Benjamin Levich Institute and Department of Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, New York 10031; Chun, Jaehun [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Washington 99352; Morris, Jeffrey F. [Benjamin Levich Institute and Department of Chemical Engineering, The City College of New York, New York, New York 10031

2018-03-01

At the same solid volume fraction, bidisperse and polydisperse suspensions display lower viscosities, and weaker normal stress response, compared to monodisperse suspensions. The reduction of viscosity associated with size distribution can be explained by an increase of the maximum flowable, or jamming, solid fraction. In this work, concentrated or "dense" suspensions are simulated under strong shearing, where thermal motion and repulsive forces are negligible, but we allow for particle contact with a mild frictional interaction with interparticle friction coefficient of 0.2. Aspects of bidisperse suspension rheology are first revisited to establish that the approach reproduces established trends; the study of bidisperse suspensions at size ratios of large to small particle radii (2 to 4) shows that a minimum in the viscosity occurs for zeta slightly above 0.5, where zeta=phi_{large}/phi is the fraction of the total solid volume occupied by the large particles. The simple shear flows of polydisperse suspensions with truncated normal and log normal size distributions, and bidisperse suspensions which are statistically equivalent with these polydisperse cases up to third moment of the size distribution, are simulated and the rheologies are extracted. Prior work shows that such distributions with equivalent low-order moments have similar phi_{m}, and the rheological behaviors of normal, log normal and bidisperse cases are shown to be in close agreement for a wide range of standard deviation in particle size, with standard correlations which are functionally dependent on phi/phi_{m} providing excellent agreement with the rheology found in simulation. The close agreement of both viscosity and normal stress response between bi- and polydisperse suspensions demonstrates the controlling in influence of the maximum packing fraction in noncolloidal suspensions. Microstructural investigations and the stress distribution according to particle size are also presented.

This paper encompasses a detailed study of the redesign of a novel Magnetic Lead Screw (MLS) active suspension system for possible regeneration of the energy dispatched in the suspension system and active control of vehicle body movement. The MLS converts a low speed high force linear motion...... of a translator into a high speed low torque rotational motion of a rotor through helically shaped magnets. The paper describes the drawback of the first MLS prototype v1.0 developed for active suspension system, which lead to a new design of the MLS prototype named v1.5. Furthermore the paper introduces detailed...

Mechanical properties of an electrodynamic loudspeaker are mainly determined by its suspensions (surround and spider) that behave nonlinearly and typically exhibit frequency dependent viscoelastic properties such as creep effect. The paper aims at characterizing the mechanical behaviour of electrodynamic loudspeaker suspensions at low frequencies using nonlinear identification techniques developed in recent years. A Generalized Hammerstein based model can take into account both frequency dependency and nonlinear properties. As shown in the paper, the model generalizes existing nonlinear or viscoelastic models commonly used for loudspeaker modelling. It is further experimentally shown that a possible input-dependent law may play a key role in suspension characterization.

We investigate theoretically and experimentally how the hydrodynamically correlated lateral motion of particles in a suspension confined between two surfaces is affected by the suspension concentration. Despite the long range of the correlations (decaying as 1/r 2 with the inter-particle distance r), the concentration effect is present only at short inter-particle distances for which the static pair correlation is nonuniform. This is in sharp contrast with the effect of hydrodynamic screening in unconfined suspensions, where increasing the concentration changes the prefactor of the large-distance correlation

The High Resolution Airborne Wideband Camera (HAWC) and the Submillimeter And Far Infrared Experiment (SAFIRE) will use identical Adiabatic Demagnetization Refrigerators (ADR) to cool their bolometer detectors to 200mK and 100mK, respectively. In order to minimize thermal loads on the salt pill, a Kevlar@ suspension system is used to hold it in place. An innovative, kinematic suspension system is presented. The suspension system is unique in that it consists or two parts that can be assembled and tensioned offline, and later bolted onto the salt pill. The resulting assembly constrains each degree of freedom only once, yielding a kinematic, tensile structure.

This study shows possibility of preparation of calcium titanate powder and coatings by reactive suspension plasma spraying. Suspension of mixture of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) powders in ethanol was fed into hybrid plasma torch with a DC-arc stabilized by a water–argon mixture (WSP-H 500). Various feeding distances and angles were used in order to optimize suspension feeding conditions. In the next step, the coatings were deposited on stainless steel substrates and ...

In recent years, Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) has become a popular control alternative due to its easy applicability and robustness to varying processes. In this article, ADRC with input decoupling transformation (ADRC-IDT) is proposed to improve ride comfort of a vehicle with an active suspension system using half-car model. The ride performance of the ADRC-IDT is evaluated and compared with decentralized ADRC control as well as the passive system. Simulation results show that both ADRC and ADRC-IDT manage to appreciably reduce body accelerations and able to cope well with varying conditions typically encountered in an active suspension system. Also, it is sufficient to control only the body motions with both active controllers to improve ride comfort while maintaining good road holding and small suspension working space.

This paper concerns molecular weight control of a batch polymerization reactor where suspension polymerization of methyl methylacrylate (MMA) takes place. For this purpose, a cascade control structure with two control loops has been selected. The slave loop is used for temperature control using on-line temperature measurements, and the master loop controls the average molecular weights based on its estimated values. Two different control algorithms namely proportional-integral (PI) controller and globally linearizing controller (GLC) have been used for temperature control. An estimator, which has the structure of an extended Kalman filter(EKF), is used for estimating monomer conversion and average molecular weights of polymer using reactor temperature measurements. The performance of proposed control algorithm is evaluated through simulation and experimental studies. The results indicate that a constant average molecular weight cannot be achieved in case of strong gel effect. However, the polydispersity of product will be lower in comparison to isothermal operation. It is also shown that in case of mo dek mismatch, the performance of cascade control is superior compared to the case where only reactor temperature is controlled based on desired temperature trajectory obtained through cascade strategy

Full Text Available Using the basic design of the conveyor with suspended belt and distributed drive, a series of numerical calculations was performed. As a result, the influence of friction and mass-dimensional design parameters of suspensions on the main technical parameters of the conveyor was established. Recommendations on the choice of rational parameters were formulated.

gas suspension calciner, with the aim to derive useful guidelines on smart calcination for obtaining products of the best pozzolanic properties. Calcination tests are performed in the calciner under six different operation conditions. The raw feed and the calcined clay samples are all characterized...

The present study describes a possible driving mechanism for a self-excited oscillation observed in motorcycle dynamics, often referred to as chatter. This phenomenon, affecting the performance of road racing motorcycles, has been simulated in straight running braking manoeuvres with multibody motorcycle models. It involves rear suspension bounce and driveline oscillation in the frequency range between 17 and 22 Hz. A simplified model of a motorcycle rear suspension with chain transmission is proposed and its stability in equilibrium configurations is studied via eigenvalue analysis. The sensitivity with respect to all its governing parameters is analysed by means of stability maps and the self-excitation mechanism is explained with the aid of energy balance analysis and phase diagrams. It is found that the key role for the instability onset is played by the gradient of the nonlinear characteristic slip function of the tyre.

Magnetic suspension systems have shown a great deal of promise in the field of microrobotics. This paper discusses the performance of a new large gap magnetic suspension system developed by the researchers. The magnetic drive unit consists of six electromagnets attached to a soft iron pole piece and yoke. Levitation of an 11.19 g microrobot prototype is demonstrated for step, ramp and periodic input trajectories using PID control. The working envelope of the microrobot is 30 x 22 x 20 mm{sup 3}, with an RMS error on the order of 18 {mu}m in the vertical direction and 8 {mu}m in the horizontal direction. It is demonstrated that the levitated microrobot is able to track the desired trajectory precisely and that the system has potential application for micromanipulation.

Individual capsule-like polyimide splats have been fabricated by suspension flame spray, and the polyimide splat exhibits hollow structure with an inner pore and a tiny hole on its top surface. Enwrapping of 200-1000-nm copper particles inside the splats is accomplished during the deposition for constrained release of copper for antifouling performances. Antifouling testing of the coatings by 24-h exposure to Escherichia coli-containing artificial seawater shows that the Cu-doped splat already prohibits effectively attachment of the bacteria. The prohibited adhesion of bacteria obviously impedes formation and further development of bacterial biofilm. This capsulated splat with releasing and loading of copper biocides results in dual-functional structures bearing both release-killing and contact-killing mechanisms. The suspension flame spray route and the encapsulated structure of the polyimide-Cu coatings would open a new window for designing and constructing marine antifouling layers for long-term applications.

Magnetic suspension systems have shown a great deal of promise in the field of microrobotics. This paper discusses the performance of a new large gap magnetic suspension system developed by the researchers. The magnetic drive unit consists of six electromagnets attached to a soft iron pole piece and yoke. Levitation of an 11.19 g microrobot prototype is demonstrated for step, ramp and periodic input trajectories using PID control. The working envelope of the microrobot is 30 x 22 x 20 mm 3 , with an RMS error on the order of 18 μm in the vertical direction and 8 μm in the horizontal direction. It is demonstrated that the levitated microrobot is able to track the desired trajectory precisely and that the system has potential application for micromanipulation

As the production and identification of metal micro-particle suspensions are some aspects of issues related to nuclear fuel reprocessing, this research thesis reports the use of ruthenium, molybdenum, niobium, palladium and rhodium (fission metals) to generate such micro-particles. They are produced by erosion of two electrodes between which occurs an electric arc discharge in aqueous media. Different analytic methods are developed to determine the characteristics of so-produced colloidal solutions. A granulometry study is performed by transmission electronic microscopy, light quasi-elastic scattering, and turbidimetry associated to centrifugation. This has lead to the production of steady micro-particle suspensions which have been used in a first set of industrial trials [fr

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to analyze upper extremity and core muscle activation when performing push-ups with different suspension devices. Young fit male university students (n = 29 performed 3 push-ups each with 4 different suspension systems. Push-up speed was controlled using a metronome and testing order was randomized. Average amplitude of the electromyographic root mean square of Triceps Brachii, Upper Trapezius, Anterior Deltoid, Clavicular Pectoralis, Rectus Abdominis, Rectus Femoris, and Lumbar Erector Spinae was recorded. Electromyographic signals were normalized to the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC. Electromyographic data were analyzed with repeated-measures analysis of variance with a Bonferroni post hoc. Based upon global arithmetic mean of all muscles analyzed, the suspended push-up with a pulley system provided the greatest activity (37.76% of MVIC; p < 0.001. Individually, the suspended push-up with a pulley system also provided the greatest triceps brachii, upper trapezius, rectus femoris and erector lumbar spinae muscle activation. In contrast, more stable conditions seem more appropriate for pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles. Independent of the type of design, all suspension systems were especially effective training tools for reaching high levels of rectus abdominis activation.

Magnetorheological (MR) fluids are suspensions of micron-sized particles dispersed in carrier fluid. Due to high density magnetic particles, MR fluids are facing the problem with the instability of the suspension caused by high settling rate. Recently, researches have been conducted on the advantages of using the mixture of magnetic nanoparticles and microparticles, called bidisperse MR fluids. However, even though the sedimentation stability is improved, there is a reduction in dynamic yield stress when the nanoparticle is introduced. In this work, the investigation of magnetic iron nanoparticles (γ-Fe 2 O 3 ) as an additive to magnetic carbonyl iron (CI) suspension has been proposed so as to improve the sedimentation stability and redispersibility, but at the same time enhance the MR performance. The results indicated that the addition of nanoparticles reduced the sedimentation rate, improved redispersibility and enhanced the rheological performance of MR fluids as the particle fill the voids between the microparticles and strengthened the interparticle chains contributing to well-arranged particle structures. (paper)

The suspension arms in the process of fogging are made by different material and in that processes get various problems are found. In that paper list out that problem and solving flash wastage problem.

Full Text Available We studied the shear thickening behavior of the nano silica suspension (silica nanoparticles 12 nm in size suspended in ethylene glycol under steady shear. The critical shear rate for transition into shear thickening phase was determined at different concentrations and temperatures. The effect of temperature and concentration was studied on the shear thickening behavior. In silica suspension, it was observed that all the samples had a transition into shear thickening phase and also by increasing the temperature, critical shear rate increased and viscosity decreased. Our observations showed that movement in silica suspension was Brownian and temperature could cause a delay in transition into shear thickening phase. Yet, we observed that increasing the concentration would decrease critical shear rate and increase viscosity. Increasing temperature increased Brownian forces and increasing concentration increased hydrodynamic forces, confirming the contrast between these two forces for transition into shear thickening phase for the suspensions containing nano particles

While studies of the potential human and environmental effects of C60 and its derivatives are emerging in the scientific literature, the environmental fate of C60 is still largely unknown. In this study, aged aqueous suspensions of C60 (nC60) were investigated in the respirometric OECD test...... for ready biodegradability. Two suspensions of nC60 were prepared by stirring and aged under indirect exposure to sunlight for 36 months, which resulted in relatively stable suspensions with a dark-brown colour. The suspended nC60 could not be extracted into toluene and indicating that the particles were...... no longer present as underivatised nC60 but had undergone a transformation. TEM images and particle tracking analysis showed that the suspension consisted of particle aggregates with a size of 156 nm (SD=54nm) and 139nm (Sd=49), respectively, but also contained smaller aggregates. Samples of the nC60...

length scales. On mesoscopic length scales, the suspensions display exceptional homogeneity and colloidal stability. We attribute this feature to steric repulsions between grafted chains and the space-filling constraint on the tethered chains

The role of crystal habit in influencing the physical stability and pharmacokinetics of trimethoprim suspensions was examined. Different habits for trimethoprim (TMP) were obtained by recrystallizing the commercial sample (PD) utilizing solvent-change precipitation method. Four distinct habits (microscopic observation) belonging to the same polymorphic state (DSC studies) were selected for studies. Preformulation and formulation studies were carried out on suspension dosage forms containing these crystals. The freshly prepared suspensions were also evaluated for their pharmacokinetic behaviour on healthy human volunteers using a cross over study. Variation of crystallization conditions produces different habits of TMP. Among the different crystal habits exhibiting same polymorphic state, the most anisometric crystal showed best physical stability in terms of sedimentation volume and redispersibility. However, habit did not significantly affect the extent of TMP excreted in urine. Modification of surface morphology without significantly altering the polymorphic state can be utilized for improving physical stability of TMP suspensions. However, the pharmacokinetic profile remains unaltered.

In this study, the potential of co-administering an aqueous suspension with a placebo lipid vehicle, i.e. chase dosing, was investigated in rats relative to the aqueous suspension alone or a solution of the drug in the lipid vehicle. The lipid investigated in the present study was Labrafil M2125CS...... and three evaluated poorly soluble model compounds, danazol, cinnarizine and halofantrine. For cinnarizine and danazol the oral bioavailability in rats after chase dosing or dosing the compound dissolved in Labrafil M21515CS was similar and significantly higher than for the aqueous suspension....... For halofantrine the chase dosed group had a tendency towards a low bioavailability relative to the Labrafil M2125CS solution, but still a significant higher bioavailability relative to the aqueous suspension. This could be due to factors such as a slower dissolution rate in the intestinal phase of halofantrine...

A simple ultrasound assisted precipitation method with addition of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) is proposed to prepare stable hydroxyapatite (HAP) nanoparticles suspension from the mixture of Ca(H 2 PO 4 ) 2 solution and Ca(OH) 2 solution. The product was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, TEM, HRTEM and particle size, and zeta potential analyzer. TEM observation shows that the suspension is composed of 10-20 nm x 20-50 nm short rod-like and 10-30 nm similar spherical HAP nanoparticles. The number-averaged particle size of stable suspension is about 30 nm between 11.6 and 110.5 nm and the zeta potential is -60.9 mV. The increase of stability of HAP nanoparticles suspension mainly depends on the electrostatic effect and steric effect of GAGs. The HAP nanoparticles can be easily transported into the cancer cells and exhibit good potential as gene or drug carrier system.

We introduce new numerical methods for simulating the dynamics of passive and active Brownian colloidal suspensions of particles of arbitrary shape sedimented near a bottom wall. The methods also apply for periodic (bulk) suspensions. Our methods scale linearly in the number of particles, and enable previously unprecedented simulations of tens to hundreds of thousands of particles. We demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of our methods on a suspension of boomerang-shaped colloids. We also model recent experiments on active dynamics of uniform suspensions of spherical microrollers. This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation under award DMS-1418706, and by the U.S. Department of Energy under award DE-SC0008271.

Full Text Available Technique of optimal vibration control with exponential decay rate and simulation for vehicle active suspension systems is developed. Mechanical model and dynamic system for a class of tracked vehicle suspension vibration control is established and the corresponding system of state space form is described. In order to prolong the working life of suspension system and improve ride comfort, based on the active suspension vibration control devices and using optimal control approach, an optimal vibration controller with exponential decay rate is designed. Numerical simulations are carried out, and the control effects of the ordinary optimal controller and the proposed controller are compared. Numerical simulation results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.

Oct 5, 2009 ... Full Length Research Paper. Establishment of the callus ... study provided an efficient way for E. angustifolia cell suspension culture to produce secondary metabolite. .... was also observed that in these treatments the stem.

separation and aggregation than expected from theory for interacting brushes. SAXS and rheology measurements also reveal that at high particle loadings, the stabilizing oligomer brush is significantly compressed and produces jamming in the suspensions

Full Text Available In the present investigation aqueous suspensions of nano- and colloidal range particles are stabilised by changing the ambient pH. Rheology is used to establish the stability of the suspensions and it is found that the rheology of the suspensions is strongly dependent on the pH values. The viscosity is highest close to the iso-electric point of the powders. At the iso-electric point the net surface charge on the powder particles is zero and is the cause of the high viscosity. Away from the iso-electric point, the particles are charged, giving rise to a double layer phenomenon and causing the reduction in viscosity. It is also found that increasing the solid contents of the suspensions reduces the pH region of low viscosity.

A method for fabricating well-dispersed nanowire suspension has been demonstrated in the paper. Thin gold nanowires were prepared by template synthesis, and then functionalized with sulphonate group-terminated thiols before suspended in different solvents. The degree of aggregation of the obtained suspension was evaluated with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-vis spectroscopy. It was found that the degree of aggregation was predominated by the solvents, and the best degree of dispersion was obtained when isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was used as the solvent. The gold nanowires from the suspension can be selectively assembled onto chemically patterned substrates. This well-dispersed nanowire suspension is potentially useful for fabricating novel nanodevices

Gasification of peat and biomass in dilute particle-gas suspension has not been studied significantly in Finland, even though these fuels require drying, which often produces dry pulverized fuel. This report has concentrated on studying suitability of so-called two-stage entrained-bed gasification for peat and biomass. The gasification system consists of a pyrolysis reactor (entrained flow) and an adiabatic char combustor. Dry or almost dry fuel is fed into the hot flue gas stream coming from the char combustor. Gasification is based on flash pyrolysis in the dilute suspension flow. Residual char is separated from pyrolyzer gases in a gas cleaning device and fed back to the adiabatic combustor. In the combustor char is burned at high temperature to supply the heat required to support endothermic reactions occurring in the pyrolyzer. To study entrained-bed gasification two types of computer models were developed: steady state simulation model and kinetic pyrolyzer model. With the help of these computer models mass and energy balances of the gasifier can be solved and the main dimensions of the gasifier can be determined. Lack of proper kinetic parameters for fast pyrolysis of peat and biomass makes it more difficult to apply the kinetic model in practice. Quantitative data concerning fast pyrolysis in dilute gas-particle suspension are needed to be able to evaluate the performance of the suspension gasifier in more detail. Gasifier operation has been studied using three different levels for amounts of pyrolysis pro- ducts, nine pressure levels between 15-23 bars and five temperature levels between 800-1200 deg C. Furthermore, normal pressure performance was simulated. In addition to simulation studies product gas heating value was optimized

To determine the mechanism of sugar uptake by suspension cultures derived from developing maize (Zea mays L.) endosperm, incorporation of radioactivity from 14 C-sugars by the tissue in the mid-log phase of growth was examined. Among the sugars tested was l'-deoxy-l'-fluorosucrose (FS), a derivative not hydrolyzed by invertase but recognized by sucrose carriers in other systems. At 40 mM, uptake of label from FS was 23% of that from sucrose, while uptake of label from L-glucose (used as a control for medium carry-over and adsorption) was 16% of that from sucrose. Uptake of label from sucrose did not increase at concentrations above 50 mM, possibly due to a rate-limiting requirement for extracellular hydrolysis. Kinetic analysis revealed both saturable and linear components of uptake for glucose and fructose. The rate of fructose uptake exceeded that of glucose at all concentrations. Fructose uptake at 20 mM was inhibited by NaN 3 , HgCl 2 , dinitrophenol, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, and p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid. Results suggest that sucrose is hydrolyzed prior to uptake, and that fructose is transported preferentially by a carrier sensitive to an external sulfhydryl group inhibitor. Metabolic activity is required for sugar uptake. The specificity of the hexose transporter is currently being investigated

The purpose of this report is to survey the recent developments in applying the bulk superconductors to mechanical applications. These applications, called superconducting suspensions, can be broadly divided into three groups - Passive Magnetic Bearings, Passive Superconducting Dampers and Active Superconducting Bearings. Basically, passive magnetic bearings utilize bulk superconductors to support a rotating shaft without contact while active superconducting bearings employ superconducting wires. Passive superconducting dampers, on the other hand, dissipate energy from a vibrating component. Over the past one year, dramatic improvements have been made in processing large-size specimens made of high grade bulk superconductors. As a result, they can meet the size requirements and load capacity requirements of many applications. With this size-scale up, one can utilize them in a wider number of applications than what was possible a few years back. At present several organizations have demonstrated the capability of passive magnetic bearings. The targeted applications include miniature cryoturboexpanders, cryoturbopumps, energy storage wheels and turbomolecular pumps. These demonstrations indicate that the passive magnetic bearings are closer to technology maturity. (orig.)

We measured the osmotic pressure of charged bromo-polystyrene particles suspensions in the dilute System (0,01-10% in volume fraction). The typical range of differences in water heights varies from one millimeter to a few centimeters. When particles are polydisperse, samples remain always sols but if particles are monodisperse, they can form supramolecular crystals stabilized by electrostatic repulsions. These crystals exist only when the ionic force is very low, about one μmole/l. We determined the structure of these assemblies by light and X-ray scattering as function of the volume fraction. At low volume fractions, crystals adopt a body centered cubic structure; when the concentration increases, they become more compact and we observe face centered cubic structures. After shearing, defects may appear and two dimensional hexagonal structures can be found. This type of study of the osmotic pressure versus distance (in the range 300 nm) is equivalent to a highly precise atomic force measurement, since it allows detection of forces as small as 10 -11 -10 -12 N. (author) [fr

We discuss sedimentation of athermal particles in dense clay suspensions which appear liquid-like to glass-like. These studies are motivated by the physics important to a diverse range of problems including remediation of oil sands after the extraction of hydrocarbons, and formation of filter cakes in bore wells. We approach this problem by first considering collective sedimentation of athermal spherical particles in a viscous liquid in quasi-two dimensional and three dimensional containers. We examine the system using optical and x-ray tomography techniques which gives particle level information besides global information on the evolution of the volume fraction. Unlike sediments in the dilute limit - which can be modeled as isolated particles that sediment with a constant velocity and slow down exponentially as they approach the bottom of the container - we find interaction between the particles through the viscous fluids leads to qualitatively differences. We find significant avalanching behavior and cooperative motion as the grains collectively settle, and non-exponential increase in settling time. We discuss the effect of stirring caused by the sedimenting particles on their viscosity and consequently the sedimentation rates as a function of particle concentration. Supported by Petroleum Research Fund Grant PRF # 54045-ND9.

International audience; Dense suspensions are materials with broad applications both in industrial processes (e.g. waste disposal, concrete, drilling muds, metalworking chip transport, and food processing) and in natural phenomena (e.g. flows of slurries, debris, and lava). Despite its long research history and its practical relevance, the mechanics of dense suspensions remain poorly understood. The major difficulty is that the grains interact both by hydrodynamic interactions through the liq...

Dense suspensions are materials with broad applications both in industrial processes (e.g. waste disposal, concrete, drilling muds, metalworking chip transport, and food processing) and in natural phenomena (e.g. flows of slurries, debris, and lava). Despite its long research history and its practical relevance, the mechanics of dense suspensions remain poorly understood. The major difficulty is that the grains interact both by hydrodynamic interactions through the liquid and by mechanical co...

A survey is given of theoretical achievements on electro-dynamic suspension of high speed ground vehicles with superconducting magnets. The problems discussed, are calculation of lift and drag forces acting on a superconducting magnet, the latter moving above a guideway structure which may be of two different types (either conducting sheet or a series of discrete loops); influence of irregularities of the guideway structure; vertical and longitudinal stability of suspension. (author)

Considering the importance of physical stability, zeta potential values, percentage volume of sedimentation and redispersibility of polymeric suspensions of some fluoroquinolones like Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and Ofloxacin (Oflox) were measured. These formulations were prepared using two grades of Carbopol polymer such as C934 and C940; and Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC). Above mentioned values of each suspension was determined by following standard methods. The results of those experiment...